See You Later
by E.B. Keane-Farrell
Summary: SPOILERS FOR TP. Link has fallen desperately in love with a woman he can never see again. But, if given the chance to visit her, would he risk the safety of Hyrule to be with his beloved? Or will he let his pain kill him?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Ilia stood at the edge of Ordon Village, looking up at the large tree house. Ordon's most revered resident lived there, but he rarely spent time there. He spent most of his hours with his horse, riding across the Kingdom of Hyrule.

She sighed, looking down at her feet. Link had changed in the past year: after his adventures, he had turned impatient and more easily irritated. As to the reason why, Ilia was unknowledgeable, but she did have some idea. She knew it had to do with the grand adventure he went on.

None of the Ordonians truly knew what had happened to him. One day, Ilia was captured, along with the other children of Ordon, and the next thing Ilia knew, she was in the Hidden Village, and later she somehow wound up in Castle Town. The details were all very fuzzy – she doubted she would ever completely recover her memory – but something had happened to Link, something bigger than she would ever be able to comprehend. He had done something, gone somewhere…met someone. Ilia was sure of that, and it broke her heart.

She loved Link, fully and truthfully, with all emotion she could handle, but it was clear that he could never return her love. His mind and thoughts were filled with someone else, and he could not love Ilia. She had mixed feelings towards this: if Link would pretend, then at least _she _could pretend, too, that Link loved her, and she would be happy. But it was better knowing the truth than being used.

Ilia glanced at the post next to the ladder leading up to the tree house. Epona was not tied there: she had not been for several days. Link was gone somewhere – 'Maybe to see that other woman,' she thought glumly, turning back to Ordon Village – and he would not return for a while. That was how he was, leaving randomly and coming back as though he hadn't been gone at all. Everyone noticed this, but no one dared mention it to him. They did not know what had happened to him, but they knew it was something strange, difficult…something dark, something he might never want to mention again. Only one man, Rusl, seemed not to be disturbed by Link's drastic change of character.

Ilia looked up at the brilliant sun, and then back at Ordon. Maybe she wasn't _meant _to understand; maybe all she could do was give Link continual love and support as he struggled through his own conflicts.

OoO

"That Ilia doin' okay, honey?"

Link shrugged as Telma set a mug of beer in front of him. He grasped it, taking a sip before responding: "Yes."

"But you ain't," she commented lightly, looking at him with a slight frown. "You ain't visited me for over ten months and then, now you come walking in as if it's only a few days!"

Link took another draught. "I've been busy, Telma. I have things to do, places to be."

Telma raised her eyebrows, folding her arms across her chest. "'Places to be'? Like where?"

Link shrugged again, finding her questions to be irritable. "Just 'round. Hyrule is an expansive place."

"'Tis indeed," agreed Telma, nodding. Her plump, white cat leapt up on the bar, giving Link a knowing look. She meowed a friendly greeting, and Link smiled faintly at her, putting a gloved hand on her head and sliding it down her back.

Telma shook her head in bemusement. "Link honey, I ain't seen Louise take a likin' to any human but you. You must be something special, huh? Or it could be those feral eyes of yours…" Their gazes met, and Telma winked jovially. "C'mon, honey; lighten up. I ain't know half of what you've been through, but I do know that you've been down since you went into Hyrule Castle. The Group told me 'bout how they saved you from a huge horde, and ain't seen you since – except for Rusl, of course."

Link shrugged slowly; he did not want to get into this conversation.

"Hey, honey, I have an idea that might cheer you up."

He looked up at Telma, raising his eyebrows doubtfully. "Oh? What's that?"

She grinned. "Why don't you visit the Princess? The entryway's right there – " she pointed – "and it goes right to her room."

Link was silent for a few moments, contemplating this plan. He had not seen the Princess for a long while, and she alone knew what he had gone through.

"Good idea," he replied. "I'll do so right now."

* * *

Okay, so I know because of the high demand of _Twilight Princess _games, not everyone has completed it, but I have...thus, there will be spoilers here for anyone who has not completed this game, because this fic is based off of something seen in the ending credits. Still, for those of you who either like spoilers (oh, I'm guilty of that!) or have completed the game, I hope you enjoy this! 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Link, instead of following the way through Telma's Bar, just went to Jovani's house and snuck through the expansive treasure chest. Luckily, now that Jovani was flesh and blood once again, Link did not have to worry about running into the greedy man: Jovani was out, reveling in his ability to move.

He landed in mucky water and slid down, feeling substantially more grossed out than when he was a wolf and doing this. His chest tightened…_when he was a wolf, and when Midna was with him…_

'Don't think about her,' he told himself forlornly. 'Midna was never _with _you; she was just helping you along.'

Link was at the bottom of the strange waterslide by now. He swam over to a ledge and pulled himself up. The sewers would take a lot of navigating, and would be much more aggravating now that he only carried around the Ordon Sword and Wooden Shield. It was solely for defensive purposes: he had returned the Master Sword to its rightful place in the Sacred Grove, and he sincerely hoped that he would never have to retrieve it again.

As he made his way through the waterways, his thoughts overtook him, and he allowed himself to dwell in them. His memory pulled upon the last time he had seen Midna – the first time in her real form as Princess of the Twili – and the words she had spoken.

"_Link…I…See you later."_

'What was she going to say?' he thought, feeling terrible sadness and curiosity trouble his brain. 'You _what_, Midna? You what?' It was an impossible hope, what Link thought about…and it was not as if he would ever know the answer. If he were to ever see her again, it could cause catastrophic results. As Zelda had once said, light and dark were the same side of a coin; 'always together but never meeting'.

Link pulled on a chain, took a gasp of oxygen, and plunged underwater. This would be significantly easier if he still had the Zora Armor…no time to bemoan that now, though. He had returned it to the Kakariko Graveyard as a hopeful signal that he would no longer have to battle underwater monsters.

He broke the surface and climbed out onto a ledge. Confidently, he walked through an entryway and over several broken stone structures. He came out into a large circular room with a winding spiral staircase edging along the wall. Sighing, Link clambered over to the staircase and began slowly walking up it. He was coming up to the most tedious part, the climbing across the rooftops. He had not done this part in human form, ever: he had always been a wolf.

Link, through a series of terrifying leaps and panic-inducing climbs over ropes, managed to make his way up to the top of the broken staircase and open the door. He heaved himself over some rubble and climbed up on top, breathing deeply so that the dizzying way down would not frighten him. He was not afraid of heights: however, it would not be pleasant to fall all the way from Hyrule Castle to the ground. He was pretty certain that there was no chance of survival.

The trek was definitely more difficult in human form; he almost wondered why he had not simply walked into Hyrule Castle and asked for an appointment. Princess Zelda would have received him warmly, even gladly…but their meeting would probably be monitored by guards, and Link would be unable to speak freely. Nevertheless, this journey was not fun. He only hoped that it would be rewarding.

Finally, after many fear-provoking jumps and tumbles, he was able to make his way to another spiral staircase. He looked back at the rooftops: it was free of any strange creatures. Link had known that the enemy population would die down after Ganondorf's death, but it was still pleasing to see that he had helped rid the world of truest evil.

Link trudged up the steps, his joints tired from all of that scrambling. When he reached the top, he knocked on the door, hoping that his adventure had not been fruitless. Luckily, it was not, and Princess Zelda answered the door. She smiled at the Ordonian, her fine features lighting up when she saw her friend.

"Link, this is a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in." She gestured inside, and Link entered. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Link shrugged, but Zelda's back was to him, so he articulated his response. "I haven't seen you in a while…I thought it would be good to drop by."

She turned to face Link, and her smile widened. "That's very thoughtful of you, Link. I was just thinking about how I haven't seen you in months…have you been keeping busy?"

He nodded. "Oh, I've been able to do a few things…exploring, mainly. I didn't exactly have a lot of time to do that when I was saving Hyrule from the Twilight."

"To which I am ever grateful," Zelda replied, giving a small bow with her head.

"So, I hear you've been keeping busy." Link raised an eyebrow. "Making negotiations with other Kingdoms. Peace treaties?"

She nodded. "Indeed. I figured that if we're going to neighbor them, we may as well be friendly."

"_Very _friendly, so I've heard." Link grinned. "It's rumored that you were seen with a handsome young Prince. True?"

"Whether or not Prince Junei is courting me is nobody's business but my own," replied Zelda coolly. She smiled, though. "But, for your ears only, yes. I suppose that's how we'll get the peace treaty with his kingdom."

The two talked aimlessly for a few minutes, and it felt good to just be able to relax around someone who knew the true story. As Link stood up to leave, Zelda stayed with him a hand.

"Wait, Link. There's something I need to give to you." She crossed to a small table and picked up a wooden box. "M-Midna gave it to me before she left, telling me to give it to you when everything had died down. I think the time is right to let you have it. She told me that you'd know how to use it…quite frankly, I don't." She passed over the box to Link, who looked at it eagerly. He opened the lid cautiously, and was both surprised and pleased with what he saw.

It was the Twilight Gemstone.

4


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"I wondered where this went," he gasped out, staring transfixed at it. "Do you know what it is?"

Zelda shrugged. "Frankly, I have no clue. It's black and orange, that's all I know…and Midna also told me it's dangerous," she added quietly.

"No, no, it's not!" Link replied earnestly. "It's the Twilight Gemstone. If I touch it, I turn into a wolf."

"How do you return to human form?" asked Zelda, perplexed.

"As long as it touched my skin, I can be a wolf. Oh!" A sudden idea lit him. "If I could string it onto something, I could wear it 'round my neck…and I'd wear it between my shirt and tunic, and when I needed or wanted to be a wolf, I could just move it inside my shirt! It's brilliant!"

"But are you sure that's safe?" She looked anxious. "It's a link to the Twilight Realm. If there's Twilight in the Light, or even Light in the Twilight, then it could be a serious breach…"

"The Mirror of Twilight is broken," he reminded her dully, staring at the Gemstone with glee. "Midna completely destroyed it. Remember?"

"Of course," she replied faintly. "But it can't be _totally _broken, can it? Things can't just burst into smoke and disappear."

'Stop putting these ideas into my head,' thought Link giddily. He did not speak those words, however. "Look, Princess, I will take good care of this. I will not do anything stupid." He turned to leave once again, but Zelda grabbed his hand and forced him to face her.

"I know you want to see her, but you can't," whispered Zelda gently. "You're my friend, Link, and I don't want you to believe in some silly notion. The Mirror of Twilight may not be completely destroyed, but it cannot – _must _not – be fixed. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," returned Link, saluting her. "But I'll have to use it sometimes, won't I?"

Zelda shook her head exasperatedly. "Fine, Link. Do whatever you want; just don't complain when your hopes are shattered." She walked with Link to the door. "Let me escort you out of the Castle."

"Won't the guards get suspicious?" asked Link, surprised. "I could just go out the way I came – "

"I'm their _Princess_," replied Zelda irritably. "I can do whatever I want. Come on, Link. Let's go."

OoO

He returned to Ordon Village the next day. He took his time returning; he could have easily been home in an hour, but instead he walked Epona across Hyrule Field, and it took him three hours. By the time he arrived, it was past lunchtime, and his stomach was sharply reminding him to eat.

He took his meal in the Ordon Spring after buying it from Sera's Sundries. He sat down at the edge of the water, sipping milk from a bottle and eating fried fish. To keep his mind from thinking about the impossible, he pulled a piece of rope from his equipment bag, drew his sword, and began slimming it down until it could fit safely around the Twilight Crystal. He tied it as tightly as he could and looped it over his head, careful to place it between his tunic and his shirt. He was glad he constantly wore his gloves, otherwise this would be a very tedious task indeed.

"L-Link?"

He looked around to see his cousin, Colin, peering at him nervously. Link smiled and gestured for Colin to join, and he did, settling down next to Link.

"I just heard from Beth that you came back," he explained, "because her mom was going on about how—how thin you look…" Colin smiled weakly. "So…I just wanted to see you, say hi. How was your trip?"

"Very satisfying," replied Link, his grin widening. Giddy thoughts of the Twilight Crystal and its potential streamed through his mind, but he quickly shunted them to one side.

"Really?" Colin looked both surprised and pleased. "That's good. What did you do? Who did you meet?"

Link gazed upon his cousin. Even though he was fourteen-years-old, he still seemed so young and innocent. Link could not tell Colin what had happened while he explored. He could not talk about the Twilight Crystal and his broken love. He could not tell anyone.

"I…went to Castle Town," he replied simply. This was half-true; he had also visited Prince Ralis in Zora's Domain. While Colin knew the young Zora, Link felt it odd to tell him that he visited frequently. From Colin's view, Link had simply helped the boy reach Kakariko Village for help. However, they had a stronger bond than that.

"Did you go to that woman's bar? What's her name…Thelma?" Colin guessed.

"Telma," Link corrected. "But close enough." He wondered if Colin knew that his father was friends with Telma.

"That sounds like fun. Hey," he perked up, as though suddenly remembering something, "you ought to visit Ilia. She's been down lately." He looked around furtively, lowering his voice. "Don't tell anyone this, but I heard that something was wrong with Mayor Bo. My parents were talking about it when they thought I was asleep." His voice returned to normal tones. "So you should check in on her, just make sure she's doing okay."

Link nodded. "Thanks, Colin. I will."

Colin left after a few minutes of small talk, and Link lapsed into thinking about what his next adventure would be. 'To Snowpeak,' he thought happily. 'I'll visit Yeto and Yeta! I can just run up the mountain…oh, I need to relearn the Reekfish Scent, of course…'

Link lay back, gazing at the sky. His mind wandered, thinking about the splendid possibilities, and he drifted off into a gentle sleep, momentarily forgetting all of the worries and pains.

* * *

I read a rumor that Link and Colin were cousins. I thought this was pretty interesting, so I included it in my story. It had neither been proven or denied, but I like it. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Link awoke several hours later to loud, thudding steps that sounded like hooves. It was dark, and the nighttime pressed all around him; he could not see, and was frantic not to be taken by surprise.

He leapt to his feet and withdrew his sword, his heels brushing the waters. He backed up, hoping to absorb the spring's healing powers in case he was attacked.

The hooves stopped, and the sound of someone dismounting followed. Link waited, his heart hammering, until he recognized the lumbering gait.

He lowered his sword, but just a little bit, and saw the large, green orcish being trudge into view. He was weaponless, but still wore his horned helmet. It was King Bulblin, who Link had battled several times last year. He had surprised Link by displaying intelligence; however, the boy was still wary of his former foe.

"I no longer know the strongest side."

This was an odd greeting, and for a second Link did not know how to reply; but then, King Bulblin's parting words came back to him: "_I serve the strongest side; that's all I'll ever know_."

"So…you came to me?" Link glanced around cautiously. "Did anyone else come with you?"

"Only Lord Bullbo and me." King Bulblin gestured a huge hand towards the entrance of the spring, where his brown boar-like mount was idly pawing the ground. "I do not have any Bulblins with me."

"Why did you come to me?" asked Link softly. "What could you possibly want?"

King Bulblin eyed Link's sword suspiciously, as though nervous he would attack. "I am hearing of troubles. I want to serve the strongest side. Is that you?"

Link lowered his weapons, ignoring King Bulblin's questions and quickly asking, "Troubles? Where?"

"My friends tell me. I ask them if stuff is going on, and they say so."

Link was beginning to feel impatient with this beast, but did not let it show. "Where is this trouble, Lord Bulblin? And why are you telling me?"

King Bulblin flapped his heavy hands. "Too many questions, too many! I answer one at a time."

"Fine. Why did you come to me, then?"

His smile was almost clownish. "Because it happened where we once fought. I hit you with a big axe, and lit the place on fire."

Link's eyes grew wide, and he could hardly suppress his gasp of delight. "Arbiter's Grounds?"

King Bulblin nodded. "Yes. There are not nice things there."

"One could say the same about you," pointed out Link. "But that doesn't matter. What sort of, ah, 'not nice' things are there?"

King Bulblin lowered his voice. If Link didn't know any better, he might have said that the being was frightened. "Creatures who hurt King Bulblin. Those who did not serve the strongest side, because they thought themselves _stronger_."

"What are they?" asked Link, now interested. What being could be stronger than Ganondorf? It had been brutal fighting that man, and sometimes Link still had ghost pains…

"They are not alive, but not dead. I don't know their names," murmured King Bulblin, his brows furrowed in thought.

"ReDeads?" suggested Link, feeling a small bit of fear prick at his heart. If there was one enemy that he had always dreaded fighting, it was those strange, ethereal corpses. He did not know why they spooked him so much, simply that they did.

"No…those things can die."

Link stared at King Bulblin, hardly allowing himself to believe those words. "Wh-what did you say?" he rasped faintly. "These c-can't…die…?"

King Bulblin shook his head. "I don't know. I fought and fought. I chopped off heads and they didn't stop. They kept on moving, even without their brains on. So I got on Lord Bullbo and ran here." He shrugged. "I don't know what they want. But you will help me." It was not a command. King Bulblin was asking for Link's help.

He sheathed his sword and folded his arms. "Why me?"

"Because," replied King Bulblin in a matter-of-fact voice, "I think you are the strongest side. And I serve the strongest side. That is all I'll ever know."

Link bowed his head, thinking. After a few moments, he picked it back up and looked King Bulblin straight in the eyes. "I _will_ aid you. When shall we set out?"

"As soon as possible," answered King Bulblin eagerly. "I will make my own way to the desert, where we can meet with more Bulblins. Tomorrow, I will meet you there, in the encampment. I have seen the not dead beasts there, mainly, although there are some wandering around." His small eyes furtively darted around. "You should be careful. Make sure they don't come after you."

"Why would they come to Ordon Village?" whispered Link, thinking about the innocent residents. They did not deserve such horrors…

King Bulblin looked Link full in the eyes, speaking in an equally low voice. "I came to here once, too. Coincidence?" he suggested quietly.

Link folded his arms. "I still don't trust you, really. Why should I help you?"

"I _told _you. I serve the stronger side. I have already acknowledged you as the strongest. Shouldn't that be enough?" he asked simply. King Bulblin turned around and walked out of the Ordon Spring. Link heard him mount Lord Bullbos and gallop away.

* * *

Hey; sorry this chapter wasn't up yesterday. I don't know if I can keep up the schedule of a chapter per day: I'll probably update 2 times on the weekends, and 3-4 times during the weekdays. For some reason, my teachers have decided that this term is a marvelous time to load us with homework, so I don't always have time to write. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Link awoke early in the morning, excitement pounding in his ears. He swung himself out of bed and grabbed the garb he had adorned, always, while partnered with Midna. He had reverted back to his simply Ordonian fashions during the aftermath, but today was an important day.

He picked up his equipment bag as well, making sure that everything he needed was in there. Lantern, empty bottles, Hero's Bow, Gale Boomerang, the Clawshot…yes, all were accounted for. Link quickly changed into the green accoutrements and shouldered his bag, picking up the Twilight Gemstone necklace and slinging it around his neck, keeping it hidden. He then exited his house, scurried down the ladder, and headed into Ordon Village.

Light was barely tracing the sky, but Link preferred it this way. He did not want his fellows to be seeing him leaving and to question him. He knew one man would be up, though, practicing deft sword movements in the early morning.

Link hurried towards Rusl's house and saw him strolling along the river. 'It must be earlier than I thought,' Link reckoned as he waved to his uncle. Rusl saw him and raised a jovial hand in greeting.

"Rusl, I need to use your, ah, Golden Cuccoo," Link told him, ignoring any pleasantries or preamble.

Rusl looked surprised. "The Golden Cuccoo?" His eyes narrowed. "Is there trouble, Link? Shall I seek Telma?"

Link was about to say "no", but decided it would be best to let Rusl in on this. "Yes. Yes, I think there's trouble, and it would be best if you told Telma and your other friends."

"What's happened?" asked Rusl. "Do you need to return to that—that Sacred Grove?"

"There's an item in there that I need," evaded Link. "And I heard that something odd has been happening in the Desert Province, but it hasn't stopped there. There are these creatures that can't die – or, if they can, it takes them a very long time. They're not ReDeads – they're more like _UnDeads_," explained Link, feeling his spine grow cold.

Concern flitted onto Rusl's face. "The undead, you say?" He began rummaging in his pocket. "I understand you. I won't ask for more information; here, take this. It's to call the Golden Cuccoo. You know where to go, aye?"

Link nodded, taking the bird call from Rusl. "Yes. Thank you so much. I hate leaving you in the dark, but – "

Rusl held up a hand and smiled gently. "You needn't worry. When the time comes, I will know all that is needed to know. I won't press you."

Link grinned genially. "Well, for what it's worth, thank you again."

He turned and left, hurrying out of Ordon Village to his steed, Epona. She was awake and alert, aware that her master was going to take her somewhere. She pawed the ground nervously, but seemed to calm down when Link untied her and stroked her neck. He stuck his foot in the stirrup and heaved himself over and into the saddle. Link started Epona off walking but, when they entered the Faron Province, he dug his heels into her side and quickly made his way towards the entrance of the Sacred Grove. He dismounted and put the bird call to his lips. The tune rang loud and clear, and soon a Golden Cuccoo was scurrying towards him. Ignoring how ridiculous this looked, Link picked up the Cuccoo and, holding it above his head, he jumped, gliding towards an outjutting of wood. He landed, collected himself, and leapt for another one. Link made his way over to the Sacred Grove without problem, and put the Cuccoo near the entrance, hoping that it would have enough sense to stay there until he came back.

This time, there was no Skull Kid to help him through the strange forest, so Link wandered aimlessly until a few recognizable sites came into view. He explored this place, hoping that his memory was as good as he thought it was, and finally, after a little under an hour, he came upon the Master Sword, resting in its pedestal. He approached it cautiously and, with a sigh, pulled it out, feeling a strange mixture of triumph and defeat. He was the true wielder of this sword, yes; however, he would have to use it to dispel evil, to cut down monsters, to end lives.

As he sheathed it, he noticed that it still glowed with the power of the sols. He strapped it onto his back, transferring his smaller sword into his equipment bag. It took him less time to find the way out than it had to find the way in: when he exited, the Cuccoo was still there; he used it to make his way back to Epona. When he did, he gave the Cuccoo a little pat on the head and mounted the horse. He dug in his heels and they were off, heading towards Lake Hylia.

* * *

Hey everybody. It's been a while since I posted on fanfiction (I'm much more active on fictionpress), so I forgot that most people don't know my..."routine", I guess you'd call it.

I publish a chapter once I get at least one review, because then that shows me that people are reading and keeping up with the work. If you review a chapter a few days after it comes out, there's a likely chance that the next chapter will be up the same day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The sun was fully up by the time Link arrived at Lake Hylia. He had had to dismount Epona and take a terrifying leap into the waters, but he thankfully survived it and swam over to Fyer's. He paid the man the Rupees he requested, and went into his giant and nervous-making cannon. A buildup of power shot him clean across the lake and the sky until he landed in the Desert Province.

Link decided he was ready to take matters into his own hands. He had been anxious, really, about using the Twilight Gemstone without someone else around to help him, but it was now or never.

Link took the thin rope from between his shirt and his tunic and, before thinking twice, he dropped it beneath his shirt and the cold stone touched his skin. Instantly, he doubled over, falling to his knees, and the transformation was over before Link had noticed it had begun.

He shook himself, getting rid of stray furs and the jitters that had crept onto him. He then began to run, dashing across the sandy plans of Gerudo Mesa. The sun indicated that it was probably around eight o'clock; the villagers would notice his disappearance, probably raise a few eyebrows at each other, mutter a simple comment, and be on their way with their duties. Rusl would casually tell Uli and Colin that he was going to visit a friend, kiss his wife, son, and daughter goodbye, and make his way to Castle Town to visit Telma's Bar.

_Ilia…_Link had forgotten to talk to her, even though he had told Colin he would. 'No time to regret that now,' he thought firmly as he dodged sand worms. He ran for a while until he came across a Bulblin Encampment, surrounded by boarish Bullbos. He spied King Bulblin; Link stayed out of eyesight and quickly fumbled with the necklace around his neck. It was held fast in his fur but, after much persuasion, Link was about to get it loose and he turned back into a human. He stood up, brushed the sand from him, and strode into the Bulblin Encampment.

A fiery arrow stabbed into the sand next to him; Link drew the Master Sword and held up his shield, furious at being tricked; he turned to King Bulblin, ready to lunge, but the giant bellowed a few commands that made the other Bulblins lowered their weapons, looking reproachfully at first King Bulblin and then at Link. Their looks turned to sheepishness as King Bulblin continued talking, in a language that Link could not understand and anyone else would dismiss as gibberish.

After a few tense minutes, King Bulblin turned to Link with an apologetic look on his face. "Bulblins did not know it was you I spoke of," he explained guiltily. "They think, 'there man, I shoot'. Sorry."

Link sheathed his sword. "That's quite all right," he returned frostily. "So you did not tell them that _I _was the one whose help you had enlisted?"

"I told them that I asked great man for help, but I didn't say who," replied King Bulblin. "But I told them he strongest side." King Bulblin tossed his gaze towards Arbiter's Grounds. "We go there, yes? We should find out what the undead beings are."

Link nodded slowly. "Right. Good idea. Let's go, then."

OoO

Link, King Bulblin, and the other Bulblins trekked towards Arbiter's Grounds. Link knew perfectly well that the Bulblins were conversing about him, doubtful that he was the "strongest side", but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was find out what evil was plaguing Hyrule and rid the place of it. Being near the Mirror Chamber wouldn't be too bad, either. He knew that it was wrong, but he really wished that there was some way that the Twilight Mirror wasn't completely shattered. A piece of the Twilight still existed in the land of the Light, so that must mean _something_…right?

Link and the assortment of Bulblins entered Arbiter's Grounds, cautiously descending the steps. Into the entrance room they went, and Link hesitated as he looked at the sand pits.

A Bulblin made a noise – it sounded like he was deriding Link – and confidently jumped into the sand. Link shouted "NO!" and reached for the Bulblin, but it was too late. The sand began pulling the Bulblin in deeper and deeper.

"Save him!" ordered King Bulblin. The Bulblin began waving his arms around frantically, trying to make his back to the others, a panicky look overtaking his features. Link's mind raced, but as he plunged his hand into his equipment bag, a sand worm leapt from the pit and knocked him off balance. Link caught himself and ferociously kicked the worm, pulling his Double Clawshots from his bag. The Bulblin was almost completely submerged; Link shot out one Clawshot; it gripped onto the Bulblin's shirt, and Link heaved, pulling him closer. The Bulblin's head broke the sand, and Link began pulling harder. He employed the other Clawshot and, after a few tense moments, the Bulblin was safe. Link crossed his arms and glared at the panting archer.

"Don't do something stupid like that," he chided angrily. "You could have died." Even though he acted mad, Link's heart was pumping quickly. It had been much simpler crossing the sand pits when he was simply with Midna; now he had half a dozen Bulblins to look after, and he wasn't even entirely convinced that these creatures were trustworthy.

Nevertheless, he aimed his Clawshot at a target and it latched on; Link was pulled across the room. He remained on the wall and used his other Clawshot to pull the Bulblins across. It was tiring but effective, and soon they made their way into the main room where he had first seen the four Poes. Thus far, there had been no sign of any other enemies more threatening than the sand worms, but Link was still on his guard. He kept the Master Sword sheathed as a sign of friendliness to the Bulblins, but he was prepared to draw it in case of trouble.

The small band trooped up the staircase right in front of them and entered the room. All of the doors that he had opened previously had remained open, so there was no need to take out his Spinner and use it as a missing gear. However, there was the throbbing problem of how to get all seven of them up to Stallord's room. As Link contemplated this problem, King Bulblin tapped him on the shoulder.

"Where are we going?" he asked in a low voice. The other Bulblins were looking around aimlessly, almost confusedly. It then occurred to Link that he had been automatically making his way through Arbiter's Grounds and towards the Twilight Chamber without consulting the others.

"I—" Before Link could finish his statement, one of the Bulblin's burbled out in surprise, pointing at a strange being dragging itself out of the large sand pit in front of them. Without needing to be told, Link knew that it was one of the undead beings that King Bulblin had talked about. It looked similar to a ReDead, like a decaying corpse, but its body parts were all very long and skinny. Its head was long but wide, and its fingertips were close to its knees, with two-inch long nails. Like ReDeads, it dragged its feet across the ground, with horrible, red eyes gleaming into his.

"It's them!" shouted King Bulblin unnecessarily. "The undead monsters!" He and the other Bulblins took out their weapons nervously, but, if what King Bulblin had said before was true, then those wooden clubs would be of no use against this being. The humanoid cadaver approached Link, eyes set fixedly, slowly and agonizingly. Link could feel his heart thudding with fear, his forehead damp and his hands slick, but he did not make a move. He daren't move, until…

The corpse was near; Link's left hand flew towards the Master Sword, grasping the hilt and releasing it free, plunging down across the body's chest. The force he employed would have – _should _have – killed any other being, or at the very least sent them flying, but all that happened was that the corpse stumbled backwards. Link's most valuable tactic, the Mortal Draw, was worthless against this monster.

"That's _impossible_," he cried, more out of frustration than necessity. He held the sword in both hands and jumped, striking angrily, but it did nothing. Thankfully, these corpses did not seem to have the same paralyzing shriek as ReDeads; if they did, Link's life would be over in a matter of moments.

More corpses pulled themselves from the sand pit, taking jerky steps towards Link and the Bulblins. In seconds, there was at least a score of undead corpses, and only Link and six Bulblins. The Bulblins began beating the corpses with their clubs, but it did not work. King Bulblin held his giant axe in two hands and gave a great sweeping motion, but to no avail. One corpse, cut in half by the axe, simply began dragging itself around by its vicious, terrible claws.

Most of the cadavers seemed to be after Link, though, and did not bother to keep it hidden; they lashed at him voraciously, swipe after swipe, fighting tooth and nail. Link tried to use every method he knew: arrows, bombs, even the Ball and Chain. Nothing worked, not even the Master Sword. Blood seeped from every pore in his body; he could not think properly, he could not even breathe. A cold sweat was drenching him, but he had no time to think about that now. With great effort, he hacked away at a corpse. He could feel the life ebbing away from him…blood was making his hands slippery; he could not hold the Master Sword properly…

A corpse punched him in the spine. He fell to the ground, winded, and felt pain in his lower back as the cold steel of a sword pierced his stomach, and the breath left him.

5


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Link awoke seconds later. Somehow, he was still miraculously breathing, but he was on the ground, lying face down. He pushed himself up onto his knees: all of his wounds seemed to be gone. He stood up, blinking, and stared around him.

Recognition hit him like a Ball and Chain: the strange, ethereal wind, the cloud-like surroundings…all that was missing was –

"The White Wolf," rasped Link, wheeling around anxiously. Sitting several feet away from him, with a patient, serene look on his face, was a golden colored wolf. With a howl, he turned into an armored skeleton. "I thought you…" Link was startled to find himself here; words were escaping him at the moment. "…but didn't you say? Weren't you supposed to be – I mean, aren't you – isn't…aren't you _dead_?" he finally got out, hating the awful bluntness of the words. He warily eyed the skeletal warrior, who smiled at his question.

"Dead? Ah, yes. I died long ago, but the Three Goddesses did not think my fate was complete. My destiny was to teach the ways of the warriors to the lineage that would vanquish Ganondorf, but, ah…some circumstances twisted that destiny."

"There's not an eighth Hidden Skill, is there?' asked Link tiredly. The human incarnation of the White Wolf did not laugh.

"No, there isn't," he replied. "_You_, too, have somehow twisted your destiny. Your death should not have occurred."

Link was quite alarmed to hear this information. "What? So—so I'm _dead_??"

"You did indeed die." The man was very calm when he spoke, as though Link's brutal murder did not trouble him. "But now you're _not _dead, as you can tell. I have taken you out of time and placed you here, in this other plane with me, to tell you something you mustn't forget."

"Yes?" urged Link eagerly.

"The Senvivanes cannot die by your means."

"The – what?" asked Link, trying to find that name in his memory. He decided to guess. "Do you mean the things that killed me? Those undead – are they Sen-vee-vanes?"

"Yes," answered the warrior. "They cannot die by your mortal terms. However, they cannot move without feet, nor can they harm without hands. Clean through the wrists and ankles. Do you understand?"

"Of course," replied Link, smiling slightly. "Perfectly. Thank you."

"I will return you to approximately ten seconds ago," the skeleton told Link, "right when you hit the ground and before a Senvivane ran you through. As you can tell, all of your wounds have healed, and your energy has been restored. If you roll out of the way, you will not die again. And – " the scene was beginning to fade before Link's eyes – "humans are no threat to the Senvivanes – but they cannot stand attacking the divine beast that helped their land."

He was gone, and Link was back on the floor of Arbiter's Grounds, surrounded by bloodthirsty Senvivanes and startled Bulblins.

Without a second thought, Link rolled sideways as a jagged blade rent through the place he had died moments before. He felt revitalized, full of strength and energy. He drew out the Master Sword and swept it in a full circle, cutting at their bony ankles. He easily sliced them, through flesh, muscles, and bones. Two Senvivanes tumbled and fell, waving out their hands in despair; Link took advantage of this moment to leap to his feet and chop through their wrists, with bone seen clearly beneath the skin. Sickeningly, their hands dropped off, blood spurted, and the beings were left to writhe miserably on the ground, moaning incessantly.

The other Senvivanes hesitated; Link did not. He made an invalid of another Senvivane and quickly plunged his necklace between flesh and cloth. The cold Twilight Gemstone knocked against his chest, and he transformed.

The corpses stared at the boy-turned-wolf, too startled to move. Link bared his fangs and growled threateningly. When they did not back off, he leapt towards one, claws bared, and latched on, burying into its skin. He dug his teeth into its neck, again and again and again, until it threw him off and he tumbled backwards, taking care not to smack his head against the stone. The Senvivanes then turned and fled, sinking back into the sand pit, dragging along their wounded.

Link returned to human. "The Mirror Chamber," he rasped before any of the Bulblins could get a word in otherwise. "They come from the Twilight Realm, I know it!"

"_How_ do you know it?" asked King Bulblin suspiciously. "If they are, then they should've sided with Ganondorf and Zant, like most denizens."

Link shrugged. "I don't know. Because they think they're the strongest side? Come on; I can get us to the Mirror Chamber." He pulled out his Spinner and took it across the sand; then he employed his Clawshot tactic, pulling across the Bulblins with his weapon. With King Bulblin, he had to wear the Iron Boots.

They made their way into Stallord's Room; it was exactly the same as when Link had left it. he got on his Spinner and rode over to the edge.

"Don't think that's good idea – " called King Bulblin warningly, but Link had already plunged downwards, terrifyingly free until he latched onto the Spinner tracks. The spikes had disappeared, it seemed, and Link easily rode his way to the top of the giant stone pillar. When he reached there, he used the Clawshot yet again to bring over the Bulblins, and he led the way across the stone bridge and up to the Mirror Chamber.

It was around noon now; Link had been unaware that so much time had passed. They reached the Mirror Chamber: Link was prepared to see the Mirror of Twilight, whole and functioning…but that was not so. He concealed his disappointment and looked around, hoping for a clue, eyes seeking some hint of Twilight.

"You are searching for the Mirror of Twilight, aren't you?" asked a sad, otherworldly voice. Link and the six Bulblins looked around to see the blazing white Sages floating in front of them, looking very grim.

"Yes," replied Link boldly. "It's imperative that we enter the Twilight Realm. Somehow, former residents have leaked into here, the Light Realm, and now we must put a stop to it."

The Sages exchanged glances. "That is true, and it is the fault of the Twilight Princess."

"What do you mean?" asked Link, his heart quickening at the mention of Midna.

"That knowledge is not ours to know. However, she did something wrong, and the Mirror was not completely destroyed. She broke it into two pieces and sent them to different peoples."

"Who?" asked Link urgently. "Who now has those pieces?"

The Sages spoke their eyes and spoke as one. "First piece, to the red-haired women, who use it to corrupt; second piece, to the sacred race, who are corrupted by its use."

"Can't you say _something _that's _not _cryptic?" shouted Link irritably, taking a step forward.

"The sand…the hidden," they whispered, and disappeared.

* * *

I plan on including the White Wolf again, and some ideas I have about him.

The "red-haired women" and the "sacred race" are both two peoples from _Ocarina of Time_. It might be easy to guess; I have no clue (I think the first one is pretty easy). Feel free to guess.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"'The sand…the hidden'," repeated Link in a murmur, staring at where the Mirror of Twilight normally stood. After a few moments, he looked around, sighing. The Bulblins were silent as he continued to think aloud. "'The sand'. That's here, isn't it? It's a desert. There can't be anywhere else. Can there?" He turned to King Bulblin, who shook his head.

"No other place; no. No sandy beaches."

Link nodded. "Yes…if it referred to a beach, then the Sages would have mentioned something about water, or—or the Zoras." Link stared hard at the large stone slab that helped enter the Twilight Realm.

"You know too much," commented King Bulblin tentatively, bringing Link from his reverie. The young man turned to look at the Bulblin.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked quietly.

"You…you can turn into an animal at will…and when you fell back there – " he motioned – "you were hurt, but then you were completely healed when you got up. You also knew that the corpses were from the Twilight Realm."

Link, unable to conjure an adequate answer, decided to play the insulted leader role. "You dare ask me these things? I am the strongest side! I'll tell you what you can ask and what will be the answer."

King Bulblin looked down at his axe, casually running a thick finger along its blade. "That's true, but you are also outnumbered…and really bad at trying to lie." For the first time, his smile was quite genial.

Link sighed and chuckled slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. Droplets of sweat were forming as the steady rays beat down upon them. "Aye, I suppose you're right. Listen, King Bulblin…it's a—a personal matter, I suppose. I'm not really sure about all the details myself. But in due time, it shall be revealed. Don't worry."

King Bulblin looked doubtful, but did not press Link for details. He merely nodded at this statement, still running his finger along the axe. Link did not know whether or not to feel insulted: the creature who declared him his leader _had _just threatened him, after all. He decided to dismiss it for now but stay on his toes for any warning signs.

"Is there a race that lives in the sand, or the desert?" he asked, happy to change the subject. "'Red-haired women'?"

"There are no longer any races that live in the sand," replied King Bulblin, seeming reluctant to give more information.

"Well, _were _there any?" demanded Link irritably.

"Yes." He did not speak anymore; Link's temper was getting very thin now.

"_Who_?" Either King Bulblin was more dimwitted than he appeared, or he was extremely disgruntled by not being in Link's confidence.

"The Gerudos. They were a race of bandits, all female, and one male was born every one hundred years. Ganondorf was one of the Gerudo," explained King Bulblin.

"That's them, then!" exclaimed Link. "Oh, and of course – this _is _Gerudo Mesa, aye?" He didn't wait for anyone to agree. "Let's search," he decided instantly. "We will look for the Gerudo here, around the Desert Province." He turned to leave, but a heavy hand on his arm stayed him. His eyes traveled up the green limb into King Bulblin's face, feeling slightly cross.

"They were banished long ago," he told Link, "into the Twilight Realm. They were the first ever Twili."

Link wrenched away from King Bulblin. He could not think of anything to say. The other Bulblins stared at him, their expressions blank yet curious at the same time. Link sighed, feeling defeated. If the Gerudo had been the men and women who abused their power so long ago, those who had been banished to the Twilight Realm, then could that possibly mean that half of the Mirror of Twilight was where Link was trying to go? "It's been a long day," he finally muttered, glancing down at his dusty boots. "Let's meet up again tomorrow at…the Bridge of Eldin. I'm going to Castle Town to talk with some old friends."

OoO

Link and the Bulblins trekked back to their encampment. Link, having never climbed down from Gerudo Mesa by any means other than teleportation, asked King Bulblin how he traveled back and forth. He explained that one could jump off of the edge and land perfectly safe into Lake Hylia. Link found this to actually be quite nerve-wracking, as taking huge leaps into bodies of water wasn't his ideal way of leaving the Province, but he followed King Bulblin's advice anyways. When he was out of seeing distance, Link changed species and began to run, sand flying beneath his paws. The sky was clear and cloudless; with the sun mercilessly staring down at him. Link immersed himself into deep thought as he dashed, replaying the odd events of the past twelve hours.

Even though King Bulblin's fluid movement between sides was not entirely comforting, the strangest event of the day was definitely the appearance of the White Wolf, the Hero's Shade. During their last meeting, he had made it clear that it was going off to the afterlife; what had brought him back? Was Link only allowed to meet up with him because he, too, had perished, and was somehow brought back to life?

So many questions, so little answers. It was as though even conjuring an adequate response required a whole other plane of thinking. Also, the very last words he had spoken to Link, before his initial departure, over one year ago…"_Go and do not falter, my child_!" Link had spent little time agonizing over the possibilities this phrase made, due to the immediate danger of Hyrule. He had almost forgotten about this until he encountered the Hero's Shade yet again. He had spoken about the Three Goddesses, and twisted destinies…what did it all mean, anyways?

Link shook his head in irritation, as though trying to rid his confused brain of these troublesome thoughts. He focused on the scenery ahead of him: long expanses of sand, with a sheer cliff and a straight drop down. There was no time to think about the terrifying leap; he merely had to get it over with and pray for survival.

He approached the edge at a run and, taking a huge breath, put all his weight behind him as he jumped, taking the plunge and feeling fright shoot through him. In second, he had been completely submerged underwater; as he swam to the surface, the Twilight Crystal dislodged from his fur and he returned to human form.

He made his way to land and, through Fyer's cannon system, he was able to reach Epona. She had patiently waited for him all day – he still marveled at her high intelligence even though, during times when he was stuck as a wolf, the animals had been much wiser than the humans. He gently stroked her for a few moments, lapsing into thought, but then he pulled himself back to reality. He put his foot in the stirrup and swung himself over Epona into the saddle. He turned her around and, nudging her gently, began trotting towards Castle Town.

OoO

Link arrived there an hour later. He dismounted the horse and hurried into the town. He ran around the outskirts of the round town square and headed down the southern road, bearing at the second left he came to. He quickly walked down the steps and opened the door to Telma's Bar.

When Link entered and looked towards the bar, he was expecting to see Telma standing behind it, manning the place as always. Instead, a pretty young barmaid was standing there, with dark skin, long, braided red hair, and bright red eyes. Link would guess her to be five years his senior; for a few moments, he was bewildered as to the reasoning of her presence, but a friendly voice called out, "Ah, Link honey. There you are."

Link peered into the small back room, where five figures were grouped around a table, their heads turned towards Link. Two of them were standing, while the other three were sitting in stiff-looking wooden chairs. Ashei, a pretty but blunt girl, raised a hand in greeting. Telma was standing next to Ashei, looking pleased to see Link but grim. Rusl had obviously given them the message as to the troubles he had heard about. He spotted his uncle sitting at the table, smiling warmly.

"Come over here, Link," beckoned Telma, motioning with her hands. Link stepped towards them, standing by Rusl. "That's my niece at the bar," explained Telma, leaning forward and speaking in a low voice. "Her name's Eir. She sometimes works here when I'm away – which is rare, mind you. She can't get work in very many places. The poor girl; there's something about her. Makes people feel edgy." Telma straightened up. "So, what brings you here, honey?" she asked, her voice returning to normal levels.

"I've just had a very odd day," replied Link. "What do you know about the Gerudo?"

Telma waved a hand, indicating that Link should lower his voice. He frowned and opened his mouth to question this, but Telma continued talking. "The Gerudo? Link honey, don't mention them in that casual way."

"What's been going on, Link?" asked Rusl solemnly, looking at him with a scrutinizing eye. "You were very vague when we talked this morning. I know you don't want to, but can we have a bit more detail?"

Link lowered his eyes to the tabletop, nodding slowly. "Yes. Yes, I suppose you can." He sighed, trying to give himself more time to think about what to say. "This actually began a year ago, after everything was done, when most of the monsters disappeared, after I was able to accomplish my tasks in Hyrule Castle. I was not alone in my quest; I had help from a young woman, but then she had to leave when everything was complete. I…I thought she had shattered the Mirror of Twilight…" Link slowly unfolded his tale, selecting to leave out certain parts, such as his species changing ability. He gave them an overview, however, of what he had been through. He made sure to be clear on the fact the strange, moving corpses were out and murderous, and thus far, he had no way to stop them. "All I know is that they're from the Twilight Realm, and they're called Senvivanes. And the Mirror has been split into two, and given to two different races, one of which is probably these…Gerudos," he finished.

Everyone remained silent after this speech. It was troubling, no doubt, to hear about the unsuccessful breakage of the Mirror of Twilight, and to know how far Link had traveled to accomplish his duties, and how many times he could have died. Fear was also evident: they knew that the Senvivanes were deadly. Link had told them how he had been able to defeat them, and suggested that they carry a blade with them all the time.

"Why don't you sit at the bar and order a drink, honey?" suggested Telma quietly. "It's on me."

Link, understanding that the Group wanted to discuss something without him eavesdropping, nodded and retreated to the bar. He pulled out a stool and sat on it, looking up at the barmaid.

"Hello," she greeted pleasantly. "You're Link, aren't you?"

"Um…yes." Link was somewhat surprised that she knew his name, but she explained it away.

"My aunt told me all about you," she explained. "I'm Eir, by the way. I don't know if my aunt told you or not."

Link nodded slowly as Eir got him a drink. He sipped it automatically, thinking heavily. He knew nothing about the Gerudo, except that they were already in the Twilight Realm. It was hopeless, this new mission of his. The only way he could possibly see the Gerudo was if he had some way into the Twilight Realm without using the Mirror of Twilight.

Basically, he could do nothing except hope for a miracle.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Link slowly finished his drink, giving the members of the Group time to talk amongst themselves. He did not feel insulted at being left out; he knew that he had done the same for a long time. If he was to know, he would be informed; if not, then he would just have to tough it out.

Eir offered him a refill; he mutely declined, but she did so anyways, telling him, "This is on the house; I'll pay for it. We don't get many handsome swordsmen round here" and giving a genial wink. He chuckled at this and accepted the drink.

"You're certainly like your aunt," he muttered, taking a draught of the ruby liquid.

"She basically raised me," explained Eir, resting her elbows on the bar and her chin on her clasped hands. "My upbringing was...very scattered, I suppose. My birth was quite a surprise for my mother." She laughed at this, smiling prettily.

"How are you related to Telma?" asked Link, glancing towards the five. "Through your father or your mother?"

"My mother," she replied, waving a hand to indicate her hair. "All of us had this color. My mother died, though, a couple years back, and Telma's been raising me since, helping me and all."

Link nodded, not really sure how to add to this conversation. Instead, he drank long from his mug, observing Eir. He _did _feel slightly eerie around her, as though in the presence of something foreboding and otherworldly. She was a pleasant enough girl, so he would make no comments, but it was not a very comfortable feeling.

When he put down his drink, Eir caught his chin in a darkly delicate hand and jerked his face to look into her eyes. They scrutinized him, like a separate entity; while most might find red eyes a disturbing sight, they were actually comforting in Eir. They fit her overall persona. If she were to have brown or blue eyes, it would have been stranger.

"You're not like the rest of them," she whispered, sweeping over him. "You hold many pains, don't you?" She released him, but still held the gaze. Link didn't dare break it. "Don't let it get to you, Link. All those things that hurt you: I've seen that before. In my mother. She held so many things from me, but I could tell. Her sadness led to her eventual death. Don't let that happen to you."

"What do you mean?" whispered back Link.

"You hurt, here," she indicated her own chest with a clenched fist. "Don't look so surprised; I grew up around it. My mother, my aunt – "

"Telma?" This information surprised Link so much that he broke the stare to look at the bar's owner, who was still in deep conversation with her friends. "With _whom_?"

"That Kakariko shaman," explained Eir, still in a soft, low voice. "And my mother…well, my father…he told her that he was going off to make her proud, and he never returned. They never even got married, and I don't know if he even knew about me. She grieved for him and pined away every single day, but he never came back. Link, don't let the disappointment of love get to you." She gripped his gloved hand with hers, looking at him pleadingly. "Don't do anything drastic, anything that could upset the balance."

Link snatched away his hand with unwarranted force. He turned from Eir, muttering, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Eir just kept on watching him with her wide, knowing eyes, her face without smile. She could easily tell that he was lying, but did not speak.

After a few minutes, there was some rustling in the back area of the bar; Link looked up to see Telma beckoning him to join them. Just as Link stood up, an idea occurred to him, and he turned to Eir. "Eir…you're…well, this might seem like an odd question, but what's your, ah, heritage?"

She shot him a quizzical look. "'Heritage'? What do you mean?"

"Link," called Telma loudly, her voice sounding very terse, "come here, honey. Now."

Link smiled briefly at Eir. "Never mind." He turned to Telma and walked over to them. Telma had her arms crossed across her chest, looking impatient and disapproving. "What?" he asked innocently when he approached. "What's that look for?" He knew what Telma knew – or at least he had a fairly good idea – but he wanted to hear it directly from Telma herself.

"You know perfectly well," hissed Telma, looking extremely cross. "Asking her about her 'heritage'…"

"It was a question of curiosity," replied Link simply. "Why? Is there something _more _to it?"

"Don't play dumb."

Link crossed his arms as well, giving her a cool, appraising look. He finally spoke, choosing his words carefully. "That's a good idea. I _won't _play dumb. Tell me about your niece, and your sister. And you."

Telma glared at him for a few moments, but suddenly all the fight seemed to leave her. She dropped her arms and sighed, looking at the tabletop. "You got me, honey. I'm never been good at actin' fierce." She gestured towards an empty chair in the corner. "Take that, Link honey, and bring it up to the table. Let me tell you a story."

3


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Long ago, before the Gerudo were banished, one of 'em fell in love with a human. That feeling was mutual, so they got married and had a child. My great-great-grandmother. She never knew her Gerudo ways, so _she _married a human, too. Her youngest daughter was my great-gran'ma. Soon enough, most of the Gerudo blood had disappeared, except for the red-haired look, and on'y women being born – it's one male ev'ry hundred years, and no one's been lucky enough to have that male. People never thought of us as Gerudo, because my ancestors never did anything wrong, so we weren't banished." Telma sighed, her face distraught. "If anyone knew, we might very well be, though. Eir doesn't even know."

"What about her father?" persisted Link, unwilling to give up. "Who was he?"

Telma shrugged. "A wise man, that's all I know. Very kind and soulful. And he said he was one of the lasts of a race. His name was…Chistro, I think. I don't know what happened to him; dead, I think, with Eir his only relation."

Link nodded, but he knew better. He was pretty sure that Eir did indeed have a living relative, but neither of them knew it.

OoO

Link had left Telma's bar moments later. She was surprised by his sudden decision, exclaiming, "But we haven't even talked about the Senvivanes – "

"No time," he had interrupted. 'I have a—an appointment, and I'm late." Before Telma or anyone else could get a word in edgewise, he had waved a hand in farewell and dashed from the room.

He was now tearing across Hyrule Field, in wolf form, having left Epona by Castle Town. Normally, Link would have doubted the possibility he was about to encounter, but he knew not to doubt anything now. Many people scoffed at the idea that a human could change species; Link was living proof that this was possible.

He was barely aware of time passing as he curved his direction towards a small pathway, surrounded by sheer rocks. He raced along it, pleased to notice the lack of arrow-slinging Bulblins – perhaps King Bulblin had informed them of their alliance –, and came across a gaping hole in the right wall. He returned to human form and raced through this cave to the Hidden Village.

He knew it couldn't be this easy. There was some sort of a catch, yet he couldn't figure it out. He walked into the Hidden Village, sword drawn and held loosely in his left hand, peering about. It was truly a ghost town, except for the twenty cats that frisked around. Link had a certain fondness for cats, because, when he had talked to them, they had given off an aura of such innocence and happiness.

He made his way through the town, walking cautiously up to Impaz's house. The sweet old lady was probably in there, with her multitude of cats; unless something bad had happened, which Link dreaded and anticipated.

He knocked on her door gently, and then opened it. There was only the light of the dying sun filtering through her windows, creating an eerie glow. Link looked around the one room, feeling perplexed. Impaz was nowhere to be seen. The room was very neat and orderly…_too _neat, as though it had not been used for a very long time. Not even her cats were in here.

"Oh…hello," came a ragged voice from behind him. Link turned around to see Impaz, looking very tired. She was considerably thinner than the last time he had seen her, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her hands were brittle and shaking as she clasped his. "So good to see you. Would you like to come in?"

"I already am," he told her uncomfortably. "S-sorry for intruding, Impaz…"

She gave a small laugh. "Don't worry. You're always welcome…I haven't seen you in a while." She went into a coughing fit. Link stood there, feeling very strange and out-of-place.

"Are you feeling all right, Impaz?" he asked nervously. "Why don't I take you to Castle Town? There's a doctor who can fix you right up…"

Impaz waved a hand airily, sitting down on her bed. "No, no, but thank you, dear. I'll be find; just a passing cold." She looked up at him, smiling. "Now…what did you need?"

"I…want to ask you a question," he ventured.

"Go ahead, go ahead."

"Did you…did you know a man by the name of Chistro?"

Impaz launched into another coughing fit, her eyes wide with surprised and suspicion. When finished, she looked at him and rasped, "'Chistro'? Do you mean 'Chisstron'?"

Link nodded fervently. "Yes, that's probably it. My—my friend, Telma – "

Impaz clapped her hands together in delight. "Telma?! You know Telma?"

"Yes! Do—do _you_?"

Impaz nodded, smiling happily. "I know _of _her. Telma was Chisstron's wife's sister. Chisstron was my son." Her smile faded. "When Chisstron met Virvatuli, it was the best day of his life. But…he said to me that he had to do something important, he had to help the world. He said 'I'll be back', but…he never was." Her eyes were filling with tears. "And I've never seen Virvatuli again, because I wasn't allowed to leave this village."

"Virvatuli is Telma's sister?" he asked. Impaz nodded. "Virvatuli is gone from this world, but she had a daughter, named Eir. Telma is raising her in Castle Town."

Impaz's face lit up in purest joy, despite the frailty. "C-Castle Town? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am," he returned firmly. "I've met her. I talked to her, and she knows nothing about you. I think you ought to meet her…"

Impaz held up a hand, shaking her head. "I cannot. I am too weak, too sickly; I am barely able to move about the village. I went outside two days ago to tend to the cats, and only got back today. I felt very weak and fell asleep in one of the abandoned houses."

Link immediately had another suggestion. "What if I brought her to you?"

Impaz nodded, coughing. "Yes, I think that would work. Oh, and if you don't mind…would you bring me some food? I will pay you…"

Link was already reaching into his equipment bag, pulling out a bottle of milk. He handed it to her. "I don't want any money. You're in need of help; I'd never charge anybody for that."

Impaz accepted the bottle, her eyes very watery as she smiled. "You're a good boy. Thank you."

Link nodded and then quickly exited the house. He ran through the village and, as soon as he exited it, turned into a wolf and began dashing back across Hyrule Field. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew that he was a small step closer to getting the Twilight Mirror back in one piece.

OoO

Link reached Telma's Bar shortly after seven o'clock. His limbs were very strained – he had not done so much running in a very long time – but he felt quite energized. Eir was no longer at the bar; Telma was, busying herself by organizing mugs. Eir was at the back table, chatting amiably with Shad. Link strode up to Telma, breathless but beaming.

"I've found Eir's grandmother," he told her. She turned from her mugs, looking surprised.

"You _did_?" She sounded very doubtful.

"Yes, I did. Her name is Impaz," he explained. "I know that this all sounds odd, but it's the truth. That's where I just was, asking Impaz about Chistro. It's actually Chisstron, by the way."

Telma put her hands on her hips, casting him a look of suspicion. "Now, how do you know this?"

Link pulled out one of the stool under the bar and sat on it, laughing. "Oh, let's just say that I'm friendly with coincidences. Tomorrow, can I bring Eir to meet her? If I set out with her round seven, I can have her back soon enough. I'm…meeting with some people tomorrow, anyways."

"With whom?" asked Telma.

"I'm evading that question," he warned. "Back on topic, now. Can I bring Eir to meet her?"

Telma looked over him with a scrutinizing eye; after a moment, she threw her hands in the air. "Oh, it's not like I can stop it. Go ahead, honey. Let Eir meet her gran'ma. Now, if we can just stop her flirtin' with Shad, come join us back here, and we'll tell you what we were discussing."

* * *

Okay, it's becoming clear that I can't maintain a regular writing schedule...so I won't have one. I'll update as often as I can, but that might not be frequently. While I love writing, I feel as though I've taken on too many projects. I'm going to continue this one, but to make space for all of them, I'll have to devote an equal amount of time to all of them, and not focus a large amount of time on one and smaller amounts of time on other...that just doesn't work with me. I'll try wrapping up one (it's a one-shot, will be on my FictionPress (some penname)), and then I'll devote more time to this. I'm trying to make the chapters longer, but sometimes I just can't do that. I guess fanfics are harder for me because I have to always reference something (say, the layout of Hyrule) that doesn't come from my imagination. But I'm trying. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Shad was very sad when Eir was sent to tend the bar. Link sat down in her empty seat, raising an eyebrow at Shad. He reddened a bit and admitted, "She may give off that strange air, but she's really quite pretty."

"That can wait for later," Telma told him sternly. "We have to bring Link up to date on things."

Link nodded. "Yes. Tell me what you were talking about."

Ashei spoke up. "So these—these Senvivane things, they can't die, yeah? Well, we know how to halt them, but not how to kill them. Auru had this idea…you tell 'im." She nodded to the elderly man, who took over Ashei's speech.

"You told us about this Mirror of the Twilight. Have you had any luck?" he asked.

"Maybe," replied Link vaguely. "As soon as I find out, I'll tell you."

Auru nodded. "Fair enough. Now, Link, there might be a connection between the Mirror and the Senvivanes."

"Right, right; that's what I thought," interrupted Link, not meaning to be rude but wanting to speed up the conversation.

"Well, perhaps we can…help you find this Mirror?" suggested Auru. "I'm not very good in the field work, but I know I have the brains to help you."

The lad nodded slowly; he had not yet told the Group about the cryptic message the Sages had spoken, and reckoned it would be beneficial to be honest with them. "All right. That sounds like a plan. But, first, there was something I sort of excluded earlier, when I told you about my journey. Today, when I went to Arbiter's Grounds, I talked to—to Sages. And they gave me this message. I can't remember it exactly, but they said that the first piece went to—to the 'red-haired women', and the second piece to the 'sacred race'. 'The sand, the hidden', they said, so I assume that that's where the pieces are."

Telma nodded slowly. "Well, I can certainly assure you that this red-haired woman doesn't have some Mirror shard, so that rules me out." She leaned around the wall blocking off the backroom and called to her niece, "Eir honey, have you picked up any weird objects lately?"

"No," replied Eir, "unless you count that doctor's enormous tab as weird."

Telma looked back at the Group and smiled. "So, Eir and I don't have it. Sorry, honey."

Link nodded, waving a hand at her apology. "No, don't be. I'm glad you don't; that Mirror does funny things to those who aren't prepared." His mind jumped to the odd image of Yeta after being possessed by the Mirror, but he quickly brought himself back to reality as Ashei talked.

"So there's really nothin' we can do." She shrugged simply. "We can try 'n' figure it out, but that might take a while."

Link nodded glumly. He had been really very eager to find the Mirror Shards and reach the Twilight Realm. While his initial motivation was to see Midna again, his curiosity had also been piqued. These Senvivanes, and the appearance of the Hero's Shade, was certainly intriguing. He could not pass up such an adventure.

"All right. I guess we'll do that," he conceded. "But right now, I'm completely exhausted."

"Where are you going to stay?" asked Telma.

"I'll find some place," evaded Link vaguely, privately thinking about turning into a wolf and curling up in some corner. "I'm off." He stood up. "Bye."

The others bid him farewell, and he began walking through the bar towards the exit, but a soft voice called his name. He turned, and Eir was looking directly at him, beckoning. He went to the barmaid.

"Meet me outside the bar at one am," she whispered. "I have something to tell you."

"What're you going to show me?" he asked, but Eir simply smiled and put a finger to her lips.

"You'll see," she smiled. "Now, go off; I'll see you in four hours."

Link nodded, mystified, but agreed all the same. He felt slightly uneasy about this meeting with her, but, as he walked out of the bar and searched for a place to catch a quick nap, he knew that he could protect himself if there was any trouble.

And, knowing Link's luck, there would be plenty.

OoO

After finding a comfortable corner near the fountain in the center of Castle Town, Link allowed himself to peacefully doze, keeping just awake enough to hear a church clock striking twelve-thirty. He roused himself then, allowing himself a half hour to fully awaken. If there was anything fishy, he wanted to be awake and armed. He drew the Master Sword, holding it casually in his hand just in case.

He arrived approximately a minute after one; Eir was there, looking very complacent yet creepily beautiful. Soft winds rustled her fired locks; Link approached her, almost regretful to break the scene. She turned slowly, her expression staid at first but then reverting to a small smile.

"Hello, Link," she greeted in a quiet voice that seemed to travel great distances. "And how are you this fine night?"

"What is it you wanted to show me?" asked Link, deciding to skip the pleasantries and preamble. "You ought to be asleep, Eir."

She smiled, as though thinking as an inside joke. "I can stay without sleep. Come with me. It's in the bar. My aunt's asleep, as are all of her friends; we won't be disturbed."

Link nodded slowly, tightening his grip around the Master Sword, which lent its light into the darkness. He followed Eir through the doors to Telma's Bar, who bore right as soon as she entered, walking over to a shelf. She put one hand on the wall and, with a sure and practiced hand, pulled free a stone. She began taking down several other stones, until a reasonably sized hole was gaping through the wall.

"Eir…what…?" began Link, but she turned to face him, holding up a hand for silence. Her eyes were determined, boring into his.

"I need you to keep this a secret," she whispered. "If my aunt found out, she would most certainly lose her head. When I heard you two talking about it, I knew this must be it." She turned back to the hole and reached in. "Link…I'm sorry…I—I…" She pulled out something that glinted in the Master Sword's light. "I cannot let you take it!"

Eir whipped about, clutching two long, lethal scimitars in either hand. Her eyes glowed blood-crimson in the darkness; the terrible evil that possessed her marred her beautiful features. A look of insanity and purest greed sharpened her face, loathing directed right at him. Before Link could react, she had rushed at him, blades pointing at his heart.

* * *

Whoa! For once, this late update is NOT my fault! XD XD

Okay. So. For some reason, FictionPress and FanFiction weren't working. I had this chapter ready about a week ago, yet I couldn't upload it. In the meantime, I did a lot of "research" (i.e., I played the game a lot lot lot XD), thus many of my facts will be more accurate (okay, so they're not really FACTS...whatever). I'll be updating a bunch (hopefully) this week, because I have it off. XD Thanks for waiting, everyone!!!!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Link sidestepped the blow, feeling the air of Eir's blade rush past his long ears. He held up the Master Sword, quickly deflecting both scimitars simultaneously.

"Eir," he shouted, trying not to panic, "calm down, _please! _You're—you're not right!"— He knew it: suddenly, it began so clear, it was astonishing. Just like Yeta was transformed into Blizzeta by the power of a fourth of the Mirror, Eir had changed into something else – Eir and Link locked blades. He tried to summon all of his power to push her to the ground, but she had twice as many weapons and no fear of death – She had been hoarding the Mirror Shard for the Goddess's know how long, and it had overtaken her. The creepy air about her…so obviously explainable now. Why hadn't he seen it?

"_One who use it to corrupt; one who are corrupted by its use._" Which one applied to Eir? She was certainly corrupted…but she was part Gerudo. Weren't _they _the ones who indulged in violence? – Her wicked blade narrowly cut his ear. Link backed away quickly, towards the bar – "_The sand…the hidden…_" Was _she _the hidden, or the sand? Why could the Sages never give clear instructions?!

Eir executed a thrust; Link parried and lunged, but she numbly skipped backwards. In a technique horribly similar to Zant's, she loosed a yell and spun her arms wildly, hoping to strike Link. She succeeded, renting a long gash down his right upper arm; he leapt out of the way, gasping in pain and clutching his arm. He released it, blood flowing, and turned back to face Eir. It was her life, or his.

Link charged at Eir, performing a quick moulinet, hitting with such force that one scimitar went spinning out of Eir's grip. She swung down with the remaining scimitar; Link rolled under her blade, towards a small table across from the bar, and grabbed one of the chairs by it. With all his might, he flung it at Eir, smacking her across the head. The force of this blow caused her to stumble, blood flowing into her eyes and mouth from a fierce laceration on her forehead. She laughed maniacally, licking the blood from her lips and spitting it at Link's boots. She dashed her eyes with the back of her hand and charged. Link was ready, with a terrible plan, too.

The Master Sword was tucked away in its sheath. As she ran towards him, regret and sadness flooded his chest. When Eir was near enough, Link drew the Master Sword and performed the worst Hidden Skill of them all: the Mortal Draw.

Eir flew across the room, blood droplets jumping from her body. It was gracefully disfiguring, a beautiful disarray, as she crashed into the shelves behind the bar, slumping onto the ground with a final gasp, coughing up blood. Glass mugs shattered around her, and the shelves toppled down upon her. She did not stir.

Remorse touched his heart: he had slain Eir. The young woman had been overtaken by the power of the Twilight Mirror, and could not have known what she was doing.

"I'm sorry," he grunted, pathos clogging his throat. He turned from the awful sight of the woman once lived, and walked over to the hole in the wall, his hands shaking. He stepped over debris strewn about and looked inside.

It was a very large secret compartment: perhaps it had been there since the town had been founded; perhaps it had been created by Eir. It was definitely big enough to hold the two scimitars and – there, in the back…it couldn't be…and yet – it was!

Link extended his trembling hands, blood slowly dripping to the ground from his wound. The Master Sword lay on a shelf, bloodstained and dirty, but he did not bother to wipe it. Excitement quickened his heart; he clasped it, tremulously pulling it free. He had it. He had a Mirror Shard.

A stirring noise, a groan, forced him from his glory. His grip reflexively tightened on the Shard and he turned, wide-eyed and disbelieving, as the shelves behind the bar moved and up stood Eir, looking mystified and scared. She was completely unharmed.

"Link…?" she began slowly, swinging herself over the bar and staring at him. Her face was very pale. "What just happened? I…" Her eyes no longer shone with greed; the previous changes that had encompassed her were completely gone. And Link understood.

Just like Yeta and Blizzeta, Eir had been possessed by another being which greatly changed her. Link had defeated Blizzeta and Yeta had not been injured. Same with Eir: the demon who had overtaken her had died, but Eir had survived. Link had not thought about it at the time that he had fought Blizzeta – fought Yeta – but now he truly appreciated it.

"What happened?" repeated Eir, dazed. She stared at the Mirror Shard in Link's hands. "Are—are you going to take that away? I don't want it anymore. Ever since I found it – ever since I've hidden it – that's when Juniper got violent," she ended in a frightened whisper, closing her eyes.

"Juniper?" Link took a step closer to Eir, placing the Mirror Shard next to the Master Sword. "Who's that?"

Eir shrugged, sitting down on a stool. "I don't know," she told him throatily. "She just came one day, without warning. My aunt tried to explain it, but I never understood it. Not really."

There was a scuffle, and the door to the bar burst open. Telma rushed in, dressed in day clothes, eyes rimmed with lack of sleep, followed by the other members of the Group.

"What happened here?" shouted Telma, running to Eir's side. "The neighbors told me they heard noise and I came here as soon as I could. What did you do?!"

Eir shook her head, unable to speak. Link quickly answered Telma's question: "It was Juniper."

Telma looked at Link, shocked. "Where did you hear that name?" Her voice was low and – angry?

"From her," replied Link, indicating Eir with a jerk of his head. He strode towards the two, pulled out a stool, and sat on it, between Eir and Telma. "Who _is _Juniper? She almost killed me tonight."

Telma sighed, then looked up at the Group. She signaled for them to sit down in the backroom, and they obeyed. She turned back to Link. "Three years ago, Eir was having these odd bouts and weird fits. She was diagnosed with MPD – Multiple Personality Disorder. The other personality was named Juniper." Telma shook her head sadly. "But Juniper really _was _crazy. She would brutally beat Eir, and threatened to kill people in Castle Town if Eir wasn't allowed to work in the bar. That was only recently, though. I constantly kept Eir in my sight in the bar, trying to keep Juniper mellow."

"He killed her," interrupted Eir vaguely, looking startled that she was talking. "Link killed Juniper, and I'm not hurt at all. How did you do it?" She gazed directly into Link's eyes, hers gleaming with tears.

"When did Juniper become violent?" he asked quietly, taking Eir's hands. "Was it when you found the Mirror Shard?"

Eir lowered her head, nodding shamefacedly. "Juniper threatened me, saying I oughtn't show my aunt."

"You communicated with—with your other personality?" Link asked, surprised. Eir nodded.

"She wrote me a letter. It was the only way I knew she was actually _real _and not something made up by my aunt and therapist. If you look, it's in the secret hole." She extended a hand, pointing. Link stood up and headed to the wall. He reached in and, after feeling about, pulled out a piece of parchment. He quickly scanned it, confirming Telma and Eir's story:

_Dear Eir,_

_You have probably heard of me through your aunt Telma or your therapist, Dr. Howe. I used to be just dawdling along, but now my purpose has been discovered. I am to guard anyone from getting that Mirror Shard we found. Yes, "we". I am, as you may have suspected, Juniper. I am the other personality of yours._

_You mustn't show the Mirror to your aunt. If you do, I will kill you, and your aunt, and I will blow up Castle Town. I will personally kill Princess Zelda. I will take a knife and run it through her pretty skull, and you will be tried for treason against the kingdom and murder. And you will be executed._

_Quite honestly, that would bore me, so don't tell you aunt, okay?_

_From,_

_Juniper_

Link passed the letter to Telma, who began to read it. As she soaked in the words, Link turned to Eir and asked, "If Juniper threatened you, why did you tell me?"

"I found a loophole," she explained in a rasp. "She only said 'don't show you aunt'. She didn't tell me not to show anyone else. I figured _you _would tell Telma, and Juniper wouldn't be able to do anything about that."

Link smiled despite himself. "That is clever." He strode back to the Master Sword and the Mirror Shard. He put the Shard in his equipment bag and picked up the hefty sword. "Telma," he called, "can I wash this off somewhere?"

She waved a hand in consent without even looking up. Link, after searching behind the bar, found a glass bottle of water and stepped outside the establishment to wash his weapon, shivering in the cold night breeze. As he did so, he thought deeply about the words of the Sages. Did Eir, perhaps, have two Mirror Shards? Juniper had been the one who corrupted, and Eir was the corruptible one? It was a definite possibility.

When Link finished cleaning his weapon, he sheathed it and reentered the bar. He resumed his old seat on the stool next to Eir, who was looking at her hands, clasped in her hands, very shamefacedly. Telma was gently patting her back.

"Eir," he began without any preamble, "do you have both pieces of the Mirror, or just one?"

Eir looked up, surprised. "Just that one. That's it."

Link could not help cursing aloud. He looked around the room, as though trying to find a meaning to the Sages' words in the stones of the bar. "Right. Okay." He folded his arms across his chest, leaning forward and resting them on the bar, trying to work through this mess of things. "Eir, I always have another question. I was thinking about that letter that Juniper wrote and, well…it just doesn't _seem _like any other case of MPD I've heard of. Certainly, you are the first person with—with it that I have encountered, but every time people talk about it, there's always something different. The other personality – Juniper, in this case – she shouldn't be aware that you are two people inside one body. She should think that you, Eir, are an entirely different person. Isn't that so?"

"It is," conceded Telma, speaking up. "But Eir's therapist, Dr. Howe, talked to Juniper before. He told her that she was another personality, made to deflect the trauma of her past, and that they had to merge together."

Link sighed, leaning back slightly in his chair. The other members of the Group were watching them, but the three kept their voices low enough so that they would not be able to eavesdrop. "I guess that made Juniper pretty mad, huh? I mean, I certainly would get annoyed, knowing that my existence would be cut short."

Telma nodded in fervid agreement. "I got very mad at Dr. Howe for doing that, for telling Juniper that they would have to get rid of her. He should not have done that so early in the healing process."

Link looked at Eir, who was still staring at her hands. "What childhood trauma did you face, Eir?"

The girl raised her red eyes slowly, staring intensely right into Link's blue ones. "I used to get beat up," she whispered. "When I was little. People knew about the Gerudos, and they beat me. I would never tell my mother. Eventually, I did, and it broke her heart that I couldn't tell her before. I guess Juniper was made so that I could forget about how much they hurt me."

At that moment, Eir seemed to hold all the innocence of a five-year-old child. She was looking at Link with such pain, such trust, her eyes filled with such a passionate hurt, that he had to look away. He could not face that look. He had seen it before: the look of eternal faith and so many pains tucked away behind the eyes. Before Midna had left, she and Link had exchanged that look.

"They won't hurt you anymore," Link told her, trying to keep his voice strong. "I will help you. You know that tomorrow I'm taking you to meet a woman who could, indeed, be your grandmother?"

Eir nodded, her eyes wide and hopeful. "I know. Thank you, Link. I would like to know anything about my father, if possible."

Link stood up, striding over to where he had placed the Mirror Shard. He picked it up, glanced at his shimmering reflection, and then tucked it away into his equipment bag. He turned back to Eir. "I suggest you get some sleep," he told her quietly. "I'll be back to lead you on your way round seven am, shall we say? We can ride on my horse there."

She smiled genially at him. "Thank you, Link. I really mean it."

He smiled back. "I know, Eir." He walked out of the bar, resuming wolf form, and trotted off to find a corner to sleep in.

* * *

Argh...I was going to say "I updated the next day! XD" But...okay, I'm 42 minutes late (East Coast Time)...but I did get this chapter out quickly(er).

Eir's case of MPD is weird. Yes, I called it MPD purposely, because that used to be the old name. The current name is DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). And this is, in NO WAY, schizophrenia. I have a real thing about hating it when people think schizophrenia is the same thing as DID. I will not lie; it bugs me to no end. So, if you want to really annoy me, act completely ignorant about psychology (it's my aspiration to be either a school guidance counselor or a ship's counselor (that latter will never happen, because that's only on _Star Trek_ (laugh. I dare you))).

Well, anyways, that's all for now. Eir will go to her supposed grandmother and it will be all lovely and squishy. XD


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Link awoke early the next morning, as shop owners began setting up; it was around five-thirty, according to the sun's positioning. He quickly resumed human form and strolled to Telma's Bar, already feeling life surging into Castle Town as bustling owners got an early start. The men and women running the markets on the South Road called eagerly to him, and he consented and bought an assortment of fruits and vegetables. He filled up two bottles with different soups, and his wallet was considerably lighter when he entered Telma's Bar. He had plenty of helpful food to give to Impaz when he went to visit her in an hour's time.

Telma, too, was awake and humming cheerily. She was scrubbing the bar, but looked up and smiled genially when Link entered.

"Link, honey! You won't believe how different Eir is now." She shook her head, chuckling. "She's so much happier now with Juniper gone and the weight of that Mirror Shard off her chest. Nothing's going wrong with it, though?" she asked anxiously, her grin disappearing. "It ain't doing anything funny to you?"

Link shook his head, and Telma's grin returned. "That's great, honey! I always knew there was something about you, something to protect you against evil…must be them feral eyes you got, eh?" She laughed, and Link joined in, but he was laughing at something else. How ironic that she said he had feral eyes, when a mere half-hour ago he was indeed a beast…

"So, is Eir up?" he asked, changing the subject. The bar was completely empty except for the two of them. The other members of the Group were nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, she should be here any moment," she assured him. "Everyone else is sound asleep, after all that ruckus yesterday! Sometimes I wonder how you can operate on such little sleep."

Link shrugged, smiling. "Magic," he replied simply. "I've got a special little gemstone, you see, that lets me turn into something that doesn't need a lot of sleep."

Telma shook her head amusedly. "Link, where do you come up with this stuff?"

"It's true," he insisted, but smiled all the same.

"Aye, of course it is." She flung up her hands in a bemused manner. "Well, as long as you're happy. You know, I haven't seen you smile like this in a long while, Link. I'm just glad that you are, too."

OoO

Eir arrived at the Bar a couple of moments later and, in an hour's time, they had exited through the South Gate and Link was rummaging through his equipment bag for the Horse Call. When he found it, he took it out with a flourish and put it to his lips, beckoning Epona to him. When the horse arrived, Link helped Eir scramble into the saddle, and then swung himself expertly in behind her. He wound his arms around her to grasp the reigns and, with a gentle kick, moved Epona to a trot, and began heading across Hyrule Field. He rode slow, happy to take his time as they trekked across the grassy planes. They made it over the Bridge of Eldin in easy time, and he walked Epona down the long, tunnel-like pathway that led to the gaping hole in the rock face. He dismounted Epona and helped Eir out of the saddle. He climbed up the jutting platform, and Eir hesitantly mimicked his movements. They began walking through the cave into the Hidden Village.

"Link, is it weird that I'm nervous?" she asked, her soft voice echoing off of the rocks.

"Not at all," he replied smilingly. "I'm a bit nervous, truthfully." His reasons were very different, however; Impaz was frail and possibly dying, and he was afraid that he might be too late with the food she requested.

They entered the old, abandoned village moments later. Eir looked around at the wooden houses, shaking and rattling in their frames. Cats ran up to them, and Eir smiled warmly at them, but did not bend down to pet them. Link gave a few pats on the head, but determinedly marched through the village, with Eir hurrying alongside him, towards Impaz's house. The wind gently dipped down to the ground, causing whorls of dust to burst into the air. It was deathly silent except for the meows of frolicking cats.

Link nodded loudly on Impaz's doors, but did not wait for her to answer. "I'm coming in," he announced, and forced it open. Eir watched, shocked, as Link strode into the place.

The place was pitch black. Link was startled by this for a moment, but wasted no time in digging out his lantern and holding it high. The windows had been completely covered by wooden slats, allowing no light in. On the bed to Link's right, Impaz lay, looking almost glued there by terror.

"Impaz!" shouted Link, rushing to her side. "What's wrong?" The old woman tried to talk, but nothing but a quiet wail came out. "Never mind, never mind. Look, I brought you food. Here: take this!" He pulled out a bottle of soup and placed it in her hands. Impaz did not seem to register the change; she looked at Link with wide, frightened eyes, barely recognizing him.

"Link?" asked Eir nervously from the doorway. "What's going on?"

"She's sick," replied Link from between gritted teeth. "Quick, let's get some light in the room. Let's pull those boards down from the windows."

Eir complied, and Link stood up to help. While the boards had been put up in perfect rows, they had not been done so very well, and almost halfheartedly. The nails that had been used to keep them in place were rusty, but they certainly hadn't been there yesterday.

When Eir and Link had thrown all of the boards into a pile in the center of the room, the two converged at Impaz's bedside. She had brought up a hand to shield her eyes from the blinding light that now filtered in; she put down her arm, stirring the dust motes.

"What happened?" asked Link in a forceful but concerned voice. Panic was flooding him. He knew it was not his fault, yet cold blame was creeping up his stomach. If he had only gotten food there earlier…

"It's…not…_me_," she rasped out, her voice surprisingly strong. "It's not me. I don't see me. It's not…it's not…" Her body was then wracked with coughs. Link helped pull her into an upright position. Her hands slipped from around the bottle and it lay on the bed. Link picked it up and thrust it into her hands. She looked down, mildly interested, and feebly tried to pull off the cork. Pity surged Link, and he opened it; he then helped her tip back the bottle and drink it.

"Oh…you're that boy…yes…" She nodded smiling weakly. She seemed to have gained some strength from the soup. "Have you brought…Chisstron?"

"I brought his daughter," he told her. Her eyes widened in shock and traveled to Eir's face, which was paled with concern.

"You are…Chisstron's…child?"

Eir nodded fervidly. "Yes, that was my father's name. Virvatuli – that was my mother."

Tears began to roll down Impaz's wrinkled face, tears of joy, of painful memories. "You…are my granddaughter, then." She smiled weakly, then slumped down. "I am frail. I could not move today. I could not sleep, so I boarded the windows."

"That must have taken a lot of work," exclaimed Link, feeling somewhat uneasy. "How did you do that?"

"I worked hard. It took me all night. The cats know," she whispered, gesticulating to the open doors. "They know I'm going to leave this world soon."

"Not if we can help it," interrupted Link firmly. "I will take you back to Castle Town, and bring you to the doctor. We have to be quick, though."

He helped the old woman to her feet. Eir went to her other side, hovering anxiously. Although Link did not have the highest faith in the Castle Town doctor, he was better than Link's own frantic treatments of food and panic.

OoO

Link, Impaz, and Eir arrived in Castle Town quickly, and rushed to the doctor's. Link muttered a small apology to Eir for this not being an ideal reunion, and then he escorted her back to Telma's Bar, suggesting she stay there. He gave Louise an indicatory look, and Link left a bar. He turned into a wolf and, moments later, the fluffy white cat came out of the bar.

"You wanted something from me, dear?" she asked in her politely curious voice. "I understand human speech; you could have said it to me back in the Bar."

"Yes," agreed Link, "but I don't think Telma and Eir would find my actions entirely sane. I want you to keep an eye on Eir, alright? I don't know exactly how she's feeling, and I can't rightly say that I believe that Juniper is gone entirely."

"Certainly I will," replied Louise, "but why couldn't you have asked Telma?"

Link grinned, wondering how odd it looked on a wolf. "Because you're a cat. You perceive things better than others. If I told any of the humans that I was, well, capable of this, of switching between species….Well, let's just say that they'd probably sent _me _to see Eir's therapist. But you understood at first glance, didn't you?"

"You don't act like the average animal, you know," commented Louise lightly. "I guess I first understood because you had an imp on your back." Louise glanced up. "But she's gone now, so I guess you're a bit more convincing."

"I'll take that as a compliment," he replied, smiling to himself. "Now, I must be off, but I'll be seeing you."

Louise smiled with her eyes. "Yes. I'll keep a lookout on Eir for you. Will you be back later today?"

"Probably," answered Link, "but I don't know when."

Louise nodded. "That's acceptable." She turned around and disappeared back through the bar.

6


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Link arrived at the Bridge of Eldin on Epona. King Bulblin was already there, on Lord Bullbo, as were several other Bulblins on Bullbos. Link felt very nervous about seeing King Bulblin on the Bridge of Eldin – last time they were here, Link had caused him to plummet over to what Link thought would be his doom – but the orcish being seemed to have cast that from memory.

"King Bulblin, I've found a Mirror Shard," he told him in a low voice. "But I don't get it, because it was being held by a 'red-haired woman', but it wasn't in 'the sand'."

King Bulblin looked at him with a shockingly wise expression. "Maybe 'red-haired woman' doesn't go with 'the sand'. Maybe it go with 'the hidden'?"

Link stared at the green being. "I…I never thought of that. Wow."

King Bulblin shrugged. "Never take anything for fact, and you will find world much easier to understand." He smiled. "Now, shall we go?"

OoO

They stood, once again, in the Mirror Chamber. There was an awkward silence for a few moments; they had successfully gotten through Arbiter's Grounds, and there had been no sign of any more Senvivanes. While this was a cause of great concern for Link, there was nothing he could do about it.

Link approached the empty, wrought-iron frame, drawing the Mirror Shard from his equipment bag. He slid it in and – to both his delight and dread – it fit perfectly. This was indeed a Mirror Shard; there was indeed a way into the Twilight Realm. But what could this possibly mean? His mind was racing. Was Midna _not _the real Twilight Princess? She had only broken it, like Zant…and Zant was certainly a false king. Midna had said so herself…

"It fit?" asked King Bulblin, pulling Link from his confused thoughts. Link turned around, nodding slowly.

"It fits perfectly," he muttered, looking at his scuffed toes. "So, this means her royal status is false…"

"What?"

Link looked up. King Bulblin's face was blankly confused. "Oh. Nothing. I'm just muttering to myself."

King Bulblin nodded, and shot out a hand to point at the Mirror Shard. "We keep that there? What if Senvivane come and take?"

Link turned back to the Mirror Shard, strangely feeling shock. "Oh. I didn't even think of that." He lifted it out of the frame and stowed it back into his equipment bag. He had been running off adrenaline for the past few hours, but now it had left him and exhaustion was casually setting in. "Right. Well, now we've just got to find the other piece." He squinted into the sun – a bit past noon. He turned back to King Bulblin, blinking away the spots before his eyes, and called, "I guess I'll search the desert. I mean, there's nowhere else it could be."

"What about us?" asked King Bulblin, leaning heavily on his axe and eyeing Link coolly.

"What d'you mean?"

"While you search desert, what we do?" he repeated, spreading wide an arm to indicate the other Bulblins, who were giving him blank looks.

"Do whatever you want," replied Link gruffly, stepping down from the frame. "I just want to work alone for now." He began to walk briskly from the Mirror Chamber, but King Bulblin threw out a fat hand, hitting Link in the chest and causing him to halt, taking a step backwards.

"Don't talk like that," he told him coldly, running a finger along his axe-blade. "I have trouble with temper."

Link stood his ground this time. "You said it before: I'm the strongest side. Now, let me do what I want, and don't question me!"

A tense silence followed; Link actually believed that King Bulblin would attack, but he did not. He merely relaxed and looked away. "You strongest side. I agree. But there more to why I help you…" He did not continue. Link was going to urge him to continue talking, but thought it would be better not to push him. Link nodded slowly.

"Right. Now that we've got that settled – " he began walking away – "I'm going to explore the desert. See you later."

As he left the group of Bulblins standing there, he reflected. Those three words were so small; Midna had said them so often, so casually, but they had been what had caused Link to never give up hope, and to pursue seeing her ever again.

OoO

Link decided not to explore the desert. Exhaustion was now severely taking over him, and he decided to visit Telma and Eir, and then it would be best to return to Ordon Village. He had no real reason to; however, something continuously pulled him back to there, to the place of his home. He chuckled quietly to himself; maybe he was getting emotional. It was, after all, only a little village.

He only stopped by Telma's Bar briefly. Impaz, Telma told Link happily, would indeed recover. "All thanks to you, honey. He may be a complete jerk, but the doc does know a few things. He says she'll recover in no time."

Link then headed home.

OoO

When he reached the Ordona Province, it was nighttime. He rode Epona to his house, dismounted her, and tied her to the post next to his tree-house. He was tired, but could not go to bed just yet; he had to think.

Link went to the Ordon Spring, watching the water sparkle with the magical glow of the stars. So much had happened, and in such a small amount of time, too…'Aye, but that's how it always is,' he thought wearily. He would rush around, pushing all thoughts of himself out of his mind and trying to help others, and then when it was all over, the rewards he reaped were very small. He did not expect an award or anything – he was merely glad that the world wasn't overtaken by Ganondorf – but sometimes he wondered if he _should _try to talk to someone.

A soft noise behind him perked his ears. He stood, rigid to the ground, careful not to make any sudden movements or indications that he had heard. If it was someone passing through, he would let them go; if the noises sounded inhospitable – and they were unfortunately beginning to – he would whip around and take out his weapons.

There was a small, almost threatening growl, but it was enough. Link turned around, his blade bared, and found a golden-colored wolf soaring towards him…

* * *

Okay okay okay. I know. It took me 5 days to get this out, and it's so short. _Mea culpa_. But, most unfortunately, I've been dragged into some silly high school drama -- which totally makes me gag -- and I need to sort it out. I hate it when my personal life gets in the way of my writing, because that generally means that both of them are not good (sadsad). Plus, I've been lagging on my original novels, and I have a deadline (finish the rough drafts of all the books (8 book series) before August 11th, 2007 -- exactly a year after I started it). I will continue to write this, but the updates will be much slower. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Link immediately sheathed his sword when he saw himself in the ethereal plane. His eyes fell upon the White Wolf, who let out a low, mournful howl and, in a flash, became the Hero's Shade.

"This time, I have sought you," he said simply. "I have been seeking you ever since my death – not you, specifically, but one like you, the one who carried the blood of the hero."

Link did not say anything; he wanted to allow the skeletal warrior to explain before butting in. "I knew, really, that it would be you, because I knew that you had hero's blood in you. I did not know that you would have to use it, though. I myself have hero's blood, but I have never had to put it to use."

"What do you mean?" blurted out Link, unable to contain himself. "What do you mean by that?"

The Hero's Shade sighed heavily. "Do you remember the last thing I said to you?"

"About the Senvivanes?" Link felt both eagerness and hesitation at the same time. The warrior waved an armored hand, as though dismissing his guess.

"No, no. Before then. After I taught you the seventh Hidden Skill."

Link nodded, his breath bated. "Yes. Yes, I do!"

The Hero's Shade looked away. "You know what I…called you?" Link nodded; the suspense was crushing him. "I said that…because it is true. You are my child."

Link felt as if his throat was closing over; he did not know what to say. It was now his turn to direct his gaze elsewhere, anywhere but at the man who claimed to be his father.

"Haven't you ever wondered?" pressed on the Hero's Shade. "Did your mother's brother tell you nothing the whole time he raised you?"

Link shrugged slowly, not really sure why, but he could talk properly. "I…well, Rusl did tell me…he said my mother was killed in a terrible accident, and my father – _you_ – one day just—just wandered off, and never came back."

The Hero's Shade winced. "After your mother died, I was heartbroken. I could not eat, could not sleep. I once went for a walk to clear my head, and I collapse, right in Faron Woods. In the exact same spot where you found me."

Link could not help the shudder that rent his spine; he had many times treaded across that place, not knowing that it was where his father had drawn his last breath…

The Hero's Shade was not finished, though. "As I told you before, my fate had been twisted. That wasn't how I supposed to die. I had bigger things in store for me." He paused, as though collecting his thoughts, and then plowed on. "I was supposed to pass on the Hidden Skills to my children, because our lineage has always gone to terrific lengths to save the kingdom. My great-grandfather – your great-great-grandfather – was the Hero of Time. Ever since he helped save Hyrule, the Hidden Skills have been passed down, from father to son. You were very young when I died, and I had not the chance to teach you the Hidden Skills. So, the Goddesses kept me alive, in this odd plane of existence, until I could teach you."

"What about now?" demanded Link. "Why are you still alive?"

"Because of Donelronla," he replied plainly.

"Who?" Link quickly searched his memory banks, but he was positive he had never heard that name before.

"Donelronla," repeated his father. "She is the one responsible for so many things."

"What did she do?" he asked eagerly. His father hesitated.

"I…cannot say," he told him shortly. "She holds power as great as the Three Goddesses who shaped our world and gave me life again. I…I only wish that your mother could see you now," he lamented.

"What happened to her?" asked Link quickly, deciding to figure out who and what Donelronla was later. "I know she died in an accident, but – "

The Hero's Shade nodded. "Is that was Rusl and Uli told you? An 'accident'?" His laugh was devoid of mirth. "Well, I suppose he didn't want to upset you – and I must say, you will be upset. She was killed before Rusl even married Uli. But it wasn't an accident, Link. It was murder."

He stared at his father, feeling hot blood boiling. "My mother was…_murdered_?" he growled, feeling disgust and despair. "How did this happen?"

"Your mother had a very sharp tongue," he told Link, "and was unafraid of speaking her mind. One day, while we were taking a cart on our way to visit Castle Town – Rusl was living there at that time –, a strange creature told us we were in his territory, and told us to get out. I was more than happy to take another way, but your mother had to tell him to get out of our way and to – well, it's best if you don't know her exact words. I thought – as did she – that the creature would get huffy and walk away, but he didn't. He became _terrifying_.

"He took out a big axe, and immediately slew our horses. Your mother and I had a particular fondness for the horses, so I took my sword and leapt at the creature. He hit me with the flat of his axe and I fell unconscious. When I woke up, it was night; I was bleeding from a huge wound in the head; you were bawling beside me, less than a year old; and your mother was lying next to me, dead."

Link felt his whole body go searing numb. His blood was thumping irregularly loud in his ears, and a stifling feeling was creeping up his throat. "A…a creature, you say? With a—a big axe?" He blinked and cleared his throat, trying to control his breathing. "Was it green and riding a blue boar-like thing?"

The Hero's Shade nodded. Link felt horror and abhorrence rise in his body, and he willed it not to take physical form. After slowly calming his body, he talked, more to himself than to his father. "King Bulblin. It—it was him. That's what he meant, wasn't it?" He wheeled around, dashing a hand across his eyes. "That's what he meant by there was more to why he was helping me…because he killed my mother!" He turned back to the Hero's Shade, his vision blurred and his mind whirling. A maelstrom of torturous thoughts towards King Bulblin whipped his head. "Let me out!" he demanded angrily. "Let me out of here! I know who killed her. I can find him. I can kill _him_!"

"Link – " began the Hero's Shade, reaching out a hand, but Link would not be calmed down, he would not be consoled. He had endured so much grief this past year…his father would not understand, would not see it from his side. He couldn't even _begin _to comprehend what he had faced.

"No!" he shouted, letting his usually easy temper get the better of him. "Let me out! I'm going to find him! I'm going to—to get him!"

The hand faltered, and finally dropped. Link's father lowered his head and whispered, "As you wish", and Link found himself in the night-rimmed Ordon Spring. He ran to his tree-house, fumbled with the rope that tied Epona to her stake, and leapt over her back. He kicked his heels into her side with unnecessary force, and they were off, dashing into the moonlit world.

* * *

The urge to write "Link, I am your father" was almost overwhelming. I was somehow able to fight it, and got out with a decent chapter (I wrote this in less than an hour...today XD).  



	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

In less than an hour, Link had tuckered out Epona, angrily ordered Fyer to allow him to go to the desert, and was now dashing across the sandy planes, in wolf mode. He did not head straight to Arbiter's Grounds; rather, he ran around in furious circles, trying to figure out if this was all a nightmare or not.

It was not. The harsh reality bore into him, like a continuously thrusting and stabbing blade. He had almost forgiven King Bulblin for those many attempts on his life, and yet…was this how he was to be repaid for his kindness? To learn that the creature he had taken pity on had betrayed him before they had even formed an alliance? If Link had known, he would not have been so gentle when he fought King Bulblin. Glorious, revenge-driven imaginary scenes flashed through his mind; there were as many scenes as grains of sand, all there for a moment before being splayed out and quelled under his paws. All of them featured King Bulblin facing a terrible demise, and this death was delivered by Link.

'I must calm down,' he thought, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. Despite his humanity, wolfish instincts and characteristics were taking over him. He wanted to fight, to find King Bulblin and all of his disgusting followers, sink his fangs into them, feel the blood gush into his mouth as he ripped out their flesh….Link quickly tried to shove these images into the back of his mind, but before he could reorganize his brain, he felt the ground underneath his front paws disappear, and he careened forward into a large crevice, letting out a howl of despair.

OoO

When Link awoke, he was in a dimly lit, small, circular room. In front of him was a long corridor, also very dark: he could not see where it ended. He slowly stood onto his feet and shook his head, trying to get his bearing.

He had fallen. That much he remembered. But what had happened? During the fall, he seemed to have lost consciousness, and now, here he was, standing in what looked to be an underground dungeon. He looked around him, running in circles, trying to find a magical beam of light that would let him reach the surface, but there wasn't one. He was trapped.

'Only way to go is forward,' he thought grimly, and began to lightly tread into the oppressive darkness, down the long hallway, his heart thumping loudly. As he did so, he paused; some familiar stench was permeated his nostrils. He lifted his nose in the air and sniffed, but he did not have to in order to see where the source of the scent was. He heard a garbled sort of shout, and a flame immediately burst into the darkness somewhere overhead, illuminating the face of an arrow-wielding Bulblin. Several arrows were shot at him; Link let out a bark of rage and betrayal. There were many Bulblins, all situated on ledges jutting out above him; he would never be able to shoot them all, not if he wanted to survive. He began running down the hallway, feeling the rush of arrows and the heat of flame pass by him. The corridor was not very long, but it felt that way; danger pursued him recklessly as he dashed. A dim light came into view, but there was also a very large hole in the ground, stretching from wall to wall. With an almighty leap, Link crossed it, barely scrambling up the side. He paused and looked behind him; Bulblins continued to shoot arrows, but none of them made it past the rectangular hole.

'He knows,' thought Link grimly as he trotted into this room. 'King Bulblin knows that I figured it out, that I know he killed my mother. That's why his minions shot at me. This must be his—his secret place or something.' He surveyed the new room. 'Well, doesn't matter. I will find him here, and I will destroy him.'

This new room was very large, and almost in the shape of a cross. He trotted into the center of the cross; there were four hallways, including the one he had just come from, extending in each direction. He walked straight forward, looking around, but found nothing except a chest. He quickly assumed human shape and opened it; there was a dungeon map. It was crudely drawn, and very silly of King Bulblin to place a map here, but it worked in Link's advantage. He showed him the shape of the dungeon. There were three floors, and one basement level; the first and second floor were the same shape: they were actually formed like a giant rectangle, but parts of it were blacked out, leaving only the cross-shaped inside and two long, skinny rooms on the east and west side. On the first floor, off the west hallway was a small, square room; the second floor did not have this room. Link went to the east door first, because it seemed to indicate that there was a staircase there that led to the second floor, but to his dismay, it was locked. He had to go to the west door.

Link crossed the room again, still surveying the map. The third floor and the basement were also similar in structure: they were very large, oval rooms, and hanging off of the southwest corner was a small, square room, identical to the one he was heading to. He approached the door; it was large, wooden, and it was unlocked. He quickly stowed the map and put his hand on the doorknob, wrenching it open and stepping inside.

The room was dark, too; Link, feeling a sense of dread, pulled out his lantern to see at least a dozen Bulblin eyes staring at him. His heart shot into his throat and he quickly drew his sword as the Bulblins rushed towards him, wielding clubs and fire arrows.

Link brought down his sword onto a Bulblin, striking angrily. It flew onto the ground, weak and dying; Link executed a fine Ending Blow, finishing it off with pleasure. He spun around, his blade slicing furiously, sending several Bulblins flying. He blindly hacked and slashed, racing after one Bulblin that tried to escape; he stabbed it multiple times, even after it was dead.

The whole affair took less than five minutes, but Link could have gone on for longer. His lust for seeing all Bulblins destroyed was overtaking his logic, and he was even searching for more when he was finished. He would have continued searching if his lantern had not gone out. He needed more oil.

Luckily, a lantern flared into light at the south end of the corridor, showing him a door. He strode over to the door and opened it; it was a brightly lit room with a treasure chest in it. He hurried across the room and kicked open the chest, pulling out a small key. He went back into the long corridor and blindly felt his way back to the door and hurried across the cross-shaped room. He unlocked the door and entered the room; it was shaped exactly like the long hallway on the west side, except this one was brightly lit and did not have a corner room. To the north was a set of stairs, which Link quickly scaled. When he got to the top, he found himself in another long corridor; according to the map, the second floor was shaped exactly like the first floor, except…in the cross-like part, the northern part was closed off with a door. Link was able to rush through the door when he noticed what looked like a huge goblet on the other end of this room; when he looked at it, he noticed it was full of lantern oil. He filled up his lantern and a bottle, and entered into the cross-shaped room.

Just as he had predicted, the northern part was locked. He crossed the room and opened up the western door, expecting to find a horde of Bulblins…and he was right. As soon as he whipped out his lantern, they charged, as did a great deal of Bokoblins, wielding clubs and scimitars. There was at least a score and a half of them; he swiped his blade, eagerly feeling it cut through harsh flesh. This time, the battle took less than ten minutes, and his bloodlust was not as strong as it was before. At the end of the hallway was a chest, which he rushed to, opening it to reveal a small key.

He hurried into the center room, put out his lantern, and hurriedly unlocked the northern door. He entered the room, which was lit by only two lanterns, and immediately perceived that it was not a room at all, but a small platform, leading off into darkness. He was about to turn around and rethink his plan, when he noticed a light glinting off of a thick rope that extended into the dark. Link quickly assumed wolf form and began shuffling across it.

It seemed to extend up and north, until he reached what looked to be a doorless doorway leading into a wide, oval, stone room. He slowly began walking forward, looking around cautiously; it was very plain, with many torches lit around the room, and several jars placed under each torch. To the southwest corner was a door, Link began heading towards it, but, as soon as he neared it, grates flew down, blocking off his pathway. He whipped around, gritting his teeth and ready to draw his blade, when he heard a terrible slicing noise. He looked back towards where he had entered the room and, to his shock and horror, saw that the rope had been cut, and was flying off into the darkness. He had no way of escape now.

His eyes sought the culprit, and he soon found it, a terrifying sight. It looked like a deformed man, twice Link's height, with very thick muscles; he was extraordinarily brawny, and wore a long, chainmail tunic. On its head was a helmet that could have been a metal skull; two large, hooked horns protruded from it, facing downwards. It held a thin, long, double-bladed, double-hilted scimitar. It let out an eerie screech, almost reminiscent of Zant, and charged at Link.

Link drew the Master Sword, holding it aloft. This was not a battle he would lose.

5


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Link leapt out of the way of his adversary, trying to gage what he was up against. The being was swift, but not swift enough that it could cause him problems in this fight. Its weapon looked very dangerous – Link decided to keep his eyes on that especially – but, other than the chain mail and helmet, it had no ways of defense.

The deformed man, seeing that it had missed Link, turned to face him and slowly moved forward, seeming to lock his eyes with Link's. The young man targeted his foe and began jumping to the side, the Back Slice in mind, quickly circling the foe and slashing out his weapon.

The chain mail was showy, but weak; Link could hear it cracking as he drew back his sword and nimbly skipped away, forever keeping his eyes on his opponent, his pulse sounding in his eardrums. Link, throwing caution to the winds, leapt forward and began wildly hacking and stabbing. He managed to get in three blows before the enemy swept his sword and caught Link, throwing his across the room.

He recovered quickly, springing to his feet and wiping away a trickle of blood from his forehead. Link charged up to the man and executed the Shield Attack; as soon as the foe was stunned, Link performed the Helm Splitter, cracking down ferociously on his enemy's helmet. He leapt to his foe's back and hit away at the chain mail again. He got in five strikes before a thundering punch knocked him away, slamming him into the wall. Link jumped to his feet and rushed unexpectedly at the enemy. He delivered a blow straight into his adversary's stomach, and the chainmail shattered, dropping to the ground.

He looked down at his chainmail, surprised, and Link took advantage of this moment. He hacked away fiercely, causing the deformed man to howl in rage and pain; finally, Link's sword hit hard enough to send it to the ground. He leapt into the air and used the Ending Blow to defeat this creature. Link sent it straight through his foe's heart, which released a screeching wail, much like that of a dying Poe, and jumped away, withdrawing the Master Sword. It wriggled in pain and, finally, burst into a cloud of smoke. The grates that had flown down over the only exit opened up noisily.

When the smoke cleared, a handsome man appeared there. His face was lined and his brown hair was lightly grayed, and he looked a little beaten, but his chest was moving up and down slowly. The creature Link had just defeated was indeed a deformed man – _this _man, now no longer deformed – and, of course…lying next to the man, shining innocently, was the second Mirror half.

Link, while excited that he had found the other Shard, quickly ran to the man's side, sitting down on his knees. "Are you okay?" he asked breathlessly, peering at the man. He looked as though he had been knocked unconscious, but his eyes slowly flickered open and he looked confusedly at Link.

"Who are you?" he muttered, slowly sitting up and clutching a hand to his forehead. "Oh, my head…"

"My name is Link," said the young man. "I…do you know what just happened?"

The man turned to Link and shook his head. "No. Not really. I…" He looked around. "I was wounded, and came upon here accidentally. That—that King Bulblin…he saved my life, in return for my services."

"What were you doing here?" asked Link curiously. "Why did you even come to this godforsaken desert?"

The man cast him a weary look. "Why did you?" He did not wait for Link to answer, though, and began his own story. "I wanted to do something to stop the growing threat of evil. I set out, promising my wife and mother I'd do something, and I told them I'd come back as soon as possible. Goddesses…that must have been twenty years ago! I don't know how I came here, exactly, or what attacked me. All I know is that I woke up and was in King Bulblin's care. He told me he had saved me, and he would continue taking care of me if I stayed here and did work for him. I was so delirious and wounded, I guess I agreed right away. I didn't really do much except wait here, but a little under a year ago, King Bulblin gave me this – " he gestured to the Mirror Shard – "and told me to take care of it. However, I was…_transformed_ by it. It seemed to take over me. The last thing I truly remember is looking into it, looking at my reflection, and…" He shook his head slowly. "Then I was here, on the ground."

Link sighed, putting his fists on his thighs. "The Mirror Shard changed you with its power. I…I defeated the evil form it turned you into. That seems to be a pattern nowadays." He gently rubbed his temples, feeling a small headache coming on.

"King Bulblin told me to keep that thing safe so he could find the other half," muttered the man. "Do you work with King Bulblin?"

"No," replied Link grimly, feeling anger bubble his blood. "I did, but now I refuse to." He leaned forward to take the Mirror Shard, prepared to continue through this underground passage and possibly find King Bulblin – but he'd much rather make his way into the Twilight Realm – when a horribly familiar, scrambled-like cry came. He looked up to see three Bullbos come in through the formerly grated door, each with three Bulblins on it; they rushed at him, carrying clubs and bows.

Link leapt to his feet, as did the man. The scimitar that had been property of the foe was still on the ground, and the man snatched it and. Link took out his bow and nocked an arrow in; he loosed it and hit one Bulblin. He shot continuously and the man, who was also under attack, fought against the Bulblins. There was one Bullbo left with two Bulblins on its back; Link jumped after it, and more hoofsteps came into earshot; he cut down the remaining Bulblins and turned around to see King Bulblin, riding on Lord Bullbo, scooping up the Mirror Shard and then exiting through the door, which did not shut after him.

"He took the Mirror Shard!" shouted Link furiously. He leapt onto one of the Bullbos, and the man took another one. Link charged through it, with the man following him, and came immediately to a smooth passageway that wound downwards. Link could hear his pounding blood, the hooves ricocheting off of the stone walls, and the words of the Sages: _to the sacred race…the sand…_.He whipped his head around with a start to see the man a few feet behind him. "Chisstron…?" he gasped, hardly daring to believe it. His voice was too quiet, though, to be heard, and all thoughts of this man's identity were dashed from his mind when he reached the bottom of the smooth stairwell. There was a large hole in the ground in front of him, large enough for King Bulblin to get through but not Lord Bullbo; the Bullbo stood to the side, looking very innocent and bored.

Link dismounted his Bullbo and waited for the man, assumedly Chisstron. He copied Link and got off his Bullbo.

"Before we go down," panted Link, "I have to ask: what is your name?"

"Chisstron," replied the man as they slid down the hole. "My name is Chisstron."

A million of possible things to say to him swept his mind. "I know your sister-in-law"; "I know your daughter"; "I know your mother"; "Your wife has passed away". But could he say them? Could he really give all of that shocking information to him? From the way Chisstron acted, he seemed clueless as to his fatherhood…did he even know about Eir's existence?

Link was about to say something when he found himself falling on a hard, stone floor. The room he was in was large, round and rectangular, just like the room he had fought Chisstron's mutated form in. He looked around to find King Bulblin, and did: but he, too, had been transformed by the power of the Twilight Shard. He no longer looked remotely like King Bulblin.

It stood tall, achieving heights that no man could reach through natural means. It was muscular and scaly, with fiery eyes. Its skull was oval-like in shape, opening at one end to form a snout. Vicious fangs curved out of the upper lip, and from the back of the head came terrible, bony horns, tinged with yellow, hooking downwards and past its long neck. Its body was sinewy, with three horrible claws on each of its four legs, its third claw on the back of the ankle. On its back were grossly huge, black and leathery wings, currently folded against its body. Its long, sinewy tail thrashed back and forth, the six blades caused gouge marks in the ground.

"What _is _that?" croaked Link, but Chisstron did not respond. The two merely drew their blades and looked at each other uneasily, prepared for a difficult battle. It was the Twilit Servant, Welles.

* * *

I named the creature "Welles". I don't know why. Because I wanted to? That sounds like a good excuse. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

It reared upon its hind legs, front claws waving wildly in the air. Welles spread its huge wings and took off, releasing a taunting screech, its long, reddish tongue visible. It swooped towards Link and Chisstron – the two leapt out of the way, but Link could see a huge, yellowy ball tinged with red in the base of Welles' skull, between his two horns. Link had fought too many Twilit foes to not know what it was – an additional eye. Welles' weakness.

Link hurriedly took out his two Hookshots and thrust one of Chisstron, who took it quizzically. Link kept his eyes on the flying monstrosity while quickly explaining to Chisstron:

"He has a third eye, in the back of his head," shouted Link. "Use this to get to it, and attack!"

Chisstron nodded, but Link did not stay long enough to see it. He was charging forward, his Hookshot out; he held it up steadily and aimed at Welles' back, right at the top of his tail. He released – latched on – and was pulled to the monster's back. He ran, swaying tremulously and fearing that he would fall off, until he reached the eye, whose red pupil stared at him in shock. Before Welles could register what to do, Link drew out his blade and stabbed ferociously into it, over and over again.

Welles released a howl of pain and rage, losing balance and falling to the ground as Link continued thrusting the Master Sword into the eye as much as possible. Welles landed, sending numb judders through Link's body. He shook his immense neck, causing Link to go flying. Welles resumed the air, looking infuriated. Blood poured from his third eye.

Chisstron raced over to Link's side, giving him an incredulous look. "How could you have just _done _that?" he exclaimed, falling to his knees beside Link. "I would've been too frightened to – I could have never just _done _that! Goddesses, are you brave or stupid?"

Link leapt to his feet, watching Welles warily. "I've been in worse fights than this," he answered grimly, blood trickling from his blade. "But I can tell you about it later. Right now, we've got this monster to deal with."

He charged forward again; Chisstron followed suit. Before Link could get out his Hookshot again, Chisstron had shot the chained weapon at Welles and landed perfectly on the eye. He hit around with his scimitar; Welles fell, limbs flailing in desperation.

The crash was deafening, but Link had no time to worry about that; his plan, half-formulated, would be very difficult to complete if he did not get the timing right. He dashed forward, blade held aloft, and, just as Chisstron was sent flying, he slid his own weapon into the slick eyeball, blood spurting grossly into his face.

Welles flailed about and, without warning, Link was knocked to the ground by a fearsome blow. He picked his head up to see Welles' long tail whipping around, soaring over Link's head; Chisstron was out of sight. Link could not find him.

He sprang to his feet as Welles took flight again, scaling the room and flapping around the perimeter. He was badly wounded, Link could tell: huge droplets of blood splashed down, spattering onto Link. He quickly scanned the room, but could not find Chisstron anywhere. Despite the dread consuming him, he hefted up the Master Sword. For a slight moment, as Welles whooshed towards him, Link's courage almost failed him. His left hand faltered, but then he caught sight of the blade, gleaming with the power of the Sols, and he remembered. He remembered why he had embarked upon this journey, why he was going to such great lengths to procure the Mirror Shards. 'It may be selfish,' he thought grimly, 'but I'll do it. I'll do it for her.' He targeted Welles, pausing his footsteps as the winged foe drew near. Gripping the Master Sword in both hands, he focused all of his energy into the blade.

"For Midna," he whispered, leaping in the air and bringing the weapon down on Welles' head, slamming straight into the skull.

Welles let out a raucous wail, flinging his limbs out in anger and pain. He began to shrink rapidly, getting smaller and smaller until Link could see Chisstron – in Welles' claws.

And, soon, King Bulblin lay on the ground, the Mirror Shard glinting next to him. Chisstron, too, was on the ground – but he was impaled there. One of Welles' claws remained, attached to the ground, going right through Chisstron's stomach. Link let out a gasp of dismay and rushed clumsily to the man's side.

"Chisstron!" Link's face was stark-white; he could not breathe. A great pool of blood was forming at the base of the giant talon, but Chisstron did not seem to notice.

"Kill him," whispered the older man. "Kill King Bulblin. Let you take your revenge."

"How d'you know – ?" began Link, but Chisstron silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"The way you act; 'tis simple. Quick, he's waking – do it now!" rasped Chisstron. Link turned around to see King Bulblin stirring; without a second though, Link slew the monster with an overly aggressive Ending Blow. The hatred he put behind it simply could not sum up how much he despised King Bulblin.

"I don't know your journey," whispered Chisstron, "but mine is coming to an end. Fight for what you think is right, Link. And – " he reached out a hand, clutching Link's collar in earnest – "never back down from fear."

His grip grew slack, and his eyes misted over gently; in moments, Link was staring into the face of a late man, a man who never knew his daughter existed.

He stood there for a while before walking over to the Mirror Shard and picking it up. He stowed it in his equipment bag and looked around to see a sparkling, magical beam of light in one corner, glowing faintly. He trudged over to it, his limbs trembling from exhaustion.

"I won't, Chisstron," he called as he stepped into the light. "I won't."

OoO

Morning had already arrived at the time Link reached the surface, feeling lightheaded. The sun was jovially basking in the sky, and all traces of nighttime had disappeared. How long had he been down there? He wondered, but could not conceive an answer. He was about to take a step forward and begin hurrying towards Arbiter's Grounds when a blow hit him in the back of his head. He stumbled, turned around, and whipped out the Master Sword, only to see the pallid, hideously contorted existence of a Senvivane.

Link didn't have time to think – he just reacted. He sliced through the wrists and ankles: the Senvivane fell forward onto its knees, flailing its arms wildly; two more Senvivanes seemed to ascend from the sand, traipsing forward, hatred gleaming in their eyes. Link swiftly recalled the words of the Hero's Shade – no, his _father_ –, remembering what he had said about the Senvivanes, about how they refused to battle the sacred beast that saved their realm. Link reverted to wolf form, and the Senvivanes hesitated; he took advantage of their uncertainty and vehemently ripped his claws into one; quickly, they retreated, retracting back into the sand.

Link stayed in wolf form to ensure his safety, and hurriedly made it through Arbiter's Grounds without incident, albeit difficulty trying to maneuver without use of his assorted weaponry. Finally, he reached the Mirror Chamber, his heart beating furiously. He resumed human shape, walking up to the frame that used to hold the Mirror of Twilight. His throat was dry, his ands sweaty; cicadas droned in the air, the sun glaring down. He put a shaking hand into his equipment bag and took out a Mirror Shard, turning it over and over in his fidgety hands. He slowly slid it into the frame: it fit perfectly. He pulled out the second half and stared between the two shard; his eyes roved over the wrought-iron frame, and then to the huge slab of rock rearing out of the sand. Link held his breath as he fitted the last shard into its place.

The two pieces instantly melded into each other, forming on Mirror again. The brilliant light was activated; the intricate design of intense white floated into the stone, blaring greatly. Link stood on the dais, taking cautious steps forward; he put one foot on the translucent steps, seemingly conjured out of thin air, and slowly ascended, his heart in his throat.

He quickly put one foot in front of the other, climbing up the steps, until he reached the end and was pulled into the Twilight Realm.

5


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

When he entered into the Twilight Realm, he was suddenly pressed on all sides by Twili, gaping at him with interest. Link looked around uncertainly: the Twilight Realm looked basically the same from the last time he had visited, except that several denizens of the twilight were standing around him, peering at him with concern and confusion.

"Midna," he said loudly. "I'm looking for Midna."

"The Princess? She's coming now," replied one. "When we saw that weird portal thing happen, we called for her. Who are you? How did you get here? You're not a Twili."

"I'm – _Midna_!" gasped Link, forgetting about the other Twili as the orangey-red hair bobbed above the rest. The crowd parted, and he saw her, looking shocked.

"Link…?" she whispered. The Twili were silent; Link ran forward, joy swelling his heart, but a better look at her made him stop in his tracks.

Midna's pointed features were exactly the same, except she looked a bit more tired and thinner than before. Her long, orangey-red hair was styled exactly the same, and she still wore that long cloak. She was also wearing a long skirt with a slit up one leg, with a blouse that exposed her stomach, slightly swollen with pregnancy. A feeling of dread and disbelief sent cold numbness throughout his body.

"I – you…I didn't know," he bumbled lamely, shocked and confused. "Wh-when's it due?" he asked softly.

Midna looked down, her slim hands slowly caressing her stomach. "Perhaps we should talk in private," she suggested quietly.

OoO

Midna brought Link into her castle, and was led to her very spacious bedroom. She closed the door and turned to Link, looking sheepish. The glow of twilight filtered through the large windows. The door opened; a tall Twili entered, looking at Link and Midna.

"Nettwa, this is Link," Midna quickly explained, gesturing to her companion. She turned to Link. "Link, this is Nettwa. My husband. We've been married for eleven months now."

"I've heard about you," Nettwa said, nodding as though to confirm his words. "I heard about all the great things you did for the two realms. You and Midna are old friends, yes?" Link could only nod to this statement. "That's wonderful. Have you met Leila yet?"

"Not yet," interrupted Midna, in a loud and impatient voice. "Nettwa, Link and I have some things to discuss. Would you mind giving us a moment?"

Nettwa smiled at his wife. He seemed to genuinely love her. "No, no, not at all! I'll come back later, shall I?" He exited, closing the door behind him.

"Who's Leila?" asked Link, feeling foolish. Of course Midna would probably get married, settle down, have children…she would not pine for him. Link didn't even know if she loved him.

"_This _is Leila," whispered Midna, striding across the room. Link followed her, and saw a wicker-woven, standing cradle. In it was a young baby, with reddish hair and bright blue eyes. She looked at Link and smiled. Even though Link was feeling so mixed up and confused right now, he managed a smile and a surge of love filled him. He delicately put out his hand and the baby gripped his finger. "Leila's my eldest daughter. She's almost four months old. Right here – " she gestured towards her stomach – "this is my second baby. I'm two months pregnant."

"Congratulations," forced out Link, still gazing at Leila. "She's beautiful."

"I know." Midna's voice was choked; this was definitely not the reunion Link had planned.

"Midna…" he began with some difficulty. "Midna…why didn't the Mirror of Twilight break completely? What happened? I thought, if you're the true ruler, that it would…" He looked up at her, and their eyes connected. Her red ones seemed to both burn and melt his heart, and she began to talk.

"Only the true ruler can destroy it; that is true. I _am _the true ruler. However, she must want it, fully and wholeheartedly. Which I did not. If I did, I would never…" She paused and looked away, as though these words were difficult to say, "I would never…be able to see _you_ again, Link." A red flush slowly crept up her face. "I wanted to see you again, so I used an illusion to make it appear as though I _had _destroyed the Mirror completely. I wanted you to one day be able to find it."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" he asked, frustrated although delighted. "You could have told me about…about you wanting to stay."

"I didn't know," she replied, sounding angry at herself. "I didn't know what you felt, or what I felt…I was confused, and I was…pregnant at the time."

Link stared at her, unsure of what Midna was saying. His heart beat faster at the wonderful possibilities. "What do you mean?"

Midna pointed at Leila, who was still clutching Link's hand. "Don't you get it, Link? Nobody in my family has blue eyes. Nobody in my husband's family has them, either. I lied to my husband and said that my ancestors did, but of course they couldn't have. She's _yours_, Link. She's your baby, Link – yours and mine."

Link gazed down at Leila, who was looking up at Link with purest trust. He felt overwhelmed with such an array of emotions – Leila was _his _daughter, his and Midna's, and it was validation of their love.

"Midna…" he began, feeling choked. "Midna, why don't you come back with me to the Light Realm? We can live there."

"No, we can't," she said quietly. "I would never be happy there. This baby – this baby is indeed Nettwa's. And he thinks Leila's his, too."

"But why can't you come to the Light Realm with me?" exclaimed Link.

"Because this is my _home_, Link!" she cried. "My life is here, and this is where I rule. I cannot simply abandon my subjects, and my husband – if I ever dared to return, I would be an outcast. There would be riots, and I would be overthrown. To leave for simply my own personal pleasure – that would be wrong."

Link knew she had a valid point, and hated it. He wanted her to come to the Light Realm with him, so they could enjoy their life together and raise Leila. He wanted to be with her.

He looked away from her, unable to continue the conversation anymore. Midna placed a hand on his arm; he did not flinch away. They stood there for a while, until Link remembered the words of his father. "Midna…" He cleared his throat. "Have you ever heard of Donelronla before?"

Midna looked up at him, surprised. "Of course I have. But…where have _you _heard about it?"

"Because this—this Donelronla has been doing bad things," he said. "Donelronla has been controlling these creatures, and they've been terrorizing the Light Realm…"

"No I haven't," came a soft, female voice, and the two immediately whipped about. The sight that fell upon their eyes was breathtaking.

A young woman, seemingly made of molten gold, was floating above the ground in front of them, looking solemn. She had a bright yellow aura around her, and her beauty was stunning. She looked at Link with piercing eyes.

"I am Donelronla," she said seriously. "I am the Goddess of Sequences."

4


End file.
